Housing An Inclusive Denver Public Review Draft

Housing an
Inclusive Denver
SETTING HOUSING POLICY, STRATEGY, AND INVESTMENTS FOR THE
NEXT FIVE YEARS
Prepared in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners Inc.

[HOUSING AN INCLUSIVE DENVER] September 29, 2017
Contents
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................ 4
From Mayor Michael B. Hancock ........................................................................................................... 5
From the Housing Advisory Committee Chair ......................................................................................... 6
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 7
Section 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 12
Fundamental Values ............................................................................................................................. 12
Leverage and enhance housing investments .................................................................................. 13
Foster communities of opportunity ................................................................................................... 13
Support housing as a continuum ...................................................................................................... 13
Embrace diversity throughout neighborhoods ................................................................................. 14
Core Goals ............................................................................................................................................. 14
1) Create affordable housing in vulnerable areas AND in areas of opportunity............................ 14
2) Preserve affordability and housing quality. ................................................................................. 14
3) Promote equitable and accessible housing options. .................................................................. 14
4) Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement. ............................................................. 15
A Focus on Serving Residents .............................................................................................................. 15
Denvers Approach to Neighborhoods ................................................................................................. 16
Community Engagement ...................................................................................................................... 17
Section 2. Current Housing and Demographic Conditions .................................................................. 19
Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing .......................................................................................... 20
Attainable Homeownership .................................................................................................................. 21
Section 3. Housing and Affordability Investments .............................................................................. 23
Section 4. Legislative and Regulatory Strategies ................................................................................ 25
Section 5. Strategic Use of Land to Support Affordable Housing ....................................................... 35
Section 6. Housing for Residents Experiencing Homelessness .......................................................... 39
Section 7. Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing ......................................................................... 43
Section 8. Attainable Homeownership ................................................................................................ 50
Section 9. Implementation .................................................................................................................. 56
Prioritization Along the Housing Spectrum .......................................................................................... 56
Target Outcomes from Housing Investments ...................................................................................... 57
Expanding Denvers Existing Toolbox .................................................................................................. 58
Implementing Proactive Investment Strategies .................................................................................. 59
Section 10. Key Supporting Information ............................................................................................. 60
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Denvers Future Housing and Demographic Trends ........................................................................... 60

Relationship to Other Local Planning Efforts ...................................................................................... 61
Detailed List of Denvers Housing Resources ..................................................................................... 62
Detailed List of Denvers Affordability Resources ............................................................................... 63
Appendix 1. Supporting Tables............................................................................................................ 70
Appendix 2. Supporting Figures .......................................................................................................... 73
Appendix 3. Supporting Maps ............................................................................................................. 81
Appendix 4. Homeless Services Map .................................................................................................. 92
Appendix 5. Neighborhood Opportunity Typology Methods & Data Sources ...................................... 93
Appendix 6. Demographic Forecasting Methods ................................................................................ 97
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Acknowledgements
Denvers Housing Advisory Committee
COMMITTEE CHAIR
Kevin Marchman, Board Chair, Stapleton Development Corporation
COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR

Heather Lafferty, Executive Director and CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
COMMITTEE SECRETARY
Brad Weinig, TOD Senior Program Director, Enterprise Community Partners
Erik Solivn, Executive Director of the Office of HOPE, City and County of Denver
Eric Hiraga, Executive Director, Office of Economic Development, City and County of Denver
Brendan Hanlon, Chief Financial Officer, City and County of Denver
Bennie Milliner, Denvers Road Home, City and County of Denver
Brad Buchanan, Executive Director of Community Planning and Development, City and County of Denver
Ismael Guerrero, Executive Director, Denver Housing Authority
Tracy Huggins, Executive Director, Denver Urban Renewal Authority
Cris White, Executive Director, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
Alison George, Executive Director, Colorado Division of Housing
John Parvensky, Executive Director, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Veronica Barela, President and CEO, NEWSED Community Development
Randy Kilbourn, Member of Cross-Disability Coalition and Denver Metro Fair Housing Center
Bill Pruter, Chief Financial Officer, Nichols Partnership
Michael Warren, Denver Area Development Manager, Metropolitan Homes and Metropolitan Residential Advisors
Carl Patten, Director of Community Benefit, Centura Health
Kenneth Ho, Development Manager, Lennar Multi-Family Communities
Chuck Perry, Managing Partner, Perry Rose LLC
Trinidad Rodriguez, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Public Finance, D.A. Davidson & Co.
Jenny Santos, Health Coverage Guide, Servicios de la Raza
Councilwoman Robin Kniech, At-Large City Councilmember
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From Mayor Michael B. Hancock

Dear Denver Neighbors,
Denver is beloved for its amazing outdoors, abundant

sunshine, bustling economy, and unique and vibrant
neighborhoods. Each month, another estimated 1,000 people
choose Denver as their new home placing increasing demand
on our housing and neighborhoods.
There is nothing I love more as Mayor than enjoying Denvers

diverse neighborhoods with all of you. From the active
downtown city center and the sounds of Five Points, to
Westwoods Cuatro Vientos Park and Little Saigon Business
District, Wash Parks Smith Lake, the art of Mariposa and the
diversity of Montbello. Our neighborhoods have defined us for
generations. Now, our greatest challenge as a city is how we
invest in our neighborhoods without sacrificing the cultural and historic fabric that makes them
unique.
Housing an Inclusive Denver uses input from more than 1,500 residents, numerous housing experts,
and nonprofit partners to set a five-year strategy for future housing policy and investments. Led by
the Housing Advisory Committee, Office of Housing and Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE)
and Office of Economic Development, the plan focuses in on the key values of embracing diversity,
leveraging investments to support inclusive communities, encouraging opportunity, and serving
residents across a range of incomes from those experiencing homelessness to people living on fixed-
incomes and working families.
Housing an Inclusive Denver celebrates the diversity of our neighborhoods and identifies ways to
keep Denver the vibrant city many of us have grown up with and many others have chosen for their
new hometown. This plan, and its accompanying annual action plans, are meant to be flexible, living
documents that serve to guide us through future changes to Denvers housing market.
I want to thank the members of our Housing Advisory Committee, all of the residents, organizations
and businesses who contributed to the creation of this plan. Today, we are enjoying some of the
greatest prosperity in our history, and together we will ensure that it does not come at the cost of
losing our cultural identity. I hope youll continue to engage with our Housing Advisory Committee and
me as we work over the next five years to ensure that housing is affordable for all who choose to call
Denver home.
Sincerely,
Mayor Michael B. Hancock
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From the Housing Advisory Committee Chair

Denver Friends,
There are few things that impact a city as much as its housing stock. In Denver, weve emerged from
the downturns in the economy to thrive, but we face an increasingly difficult challenge housing
affordability for all incomes. Throughout 2017, the Housing Advisory Committee has heard from
communities across the city about their greatest challenges and biggest opportunities. Weve
engaged with national housing experts and looked at successful programs in other cities to develop
Housing an Inclusive Denver, a five-year plan for housing policy, strategies and investments.
One of the important changes with Housing an Inclusive Denver is its focus on addressing the
housing needs and opportunities of the city along a housing continuum, from people experiencing
homelessness to those striving to achieve homeownership. The plan outlines an approach to
building communities of opportunity across the city for all people and identifies the strategies the
City and County of Denver will use to advance opportunity and mitigate involuntary displacement
over the next five years. It creates the overarching direction for allocating the citys Affordable
Housing Fund and federal housing resources, as well as housing and affordability policies and
programs. In this capacity, the plan considers the unique characteristics of Denvers neighborhoods
and works to align policy and investment strategies to ensure that housing options along the
continuum match distinct neighborhood conditions and contexts throughout Denver.
In addition to the five-year plan, an Annual Action Plan will outline the priorities to which the city will
allocate local and federal funds for each fiscal year during the five-year plan period.
The Housing Advisory Committee is pleased to present Housing an Inclusive Denver to the
community. We view this as a living document that our committee will work to implement over the
next five years as our housing market changes, and as we implement and evaluate the tools in our
housing toolbox. We are committed to staying engaged and learning alongside you, our community,
about the challenges and opportunities in your neighborhood and how the city can partner to create
innovative approaches to address our housing needs.
Sincerely,
Kevin Marchman,
Chair, Denvers Housing Advisory Committee
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Executive Summary
Overview
Denver is at a pivotal point where despite extremely low unemployment (2.2%), high workforce
participation (90%+), and tremendous economic growth, housing costs are growing at such a rapid
pace that incomes cannot keep up. Housing an Inclusive Denver outlines strategies to create and
preserve strong and opportunity-rich neighborhoods with diverse housing options that are accessible
and affordable to all Denver residents. The plan is centered around four fundamental values and
four core goals.
Fundamental Values
Leverage and enhance housing investments with resources from public, private and nonprofit
partners to support inclusive communities in Denver, including a focus on sustainability of the Citys
existing resources for affordable housing development, preservation and programs.
Foster communities of opportunity by aligning housing strategies and investments with unique
neighborhood conditions that consider five opportunity outcomes: stable and affordable homes, jobs
and economic mobility, comprehensive health services, access to quality education, and mobility and
transit connections.
Support housing as a continuum that serves residents across a range of incomes, including
residents experiencing homelessness, those earning low wages or living on fixed-incomes such as
seniors or residents with a disability, and working families.
Embrace diversity throughout neighborhoods to ensure that Denver remains a welcoming community
for all residents by focusing on policies, programs and investments that support inclusive, mixed-
income communities.
Core Goals
Create affordable housing in vulnerable areas AND in areas of opportunity by focusing on
production that considers specific neighborhood conditions, including areas vulnerable to
displacement and neighborhoods that have strong amenities such as transit, jobs, high
quality education and health care. Measurable outcomes from investment and policies
under this core goal include new units created.
Preserve affordability and housing quality by investing to maintain affordability in non-
subsidized units and preserving or continuing affordability of existing publicly subsidized
affordable housing. Measurable outcomes from investment and policies under this core
goal include existing units preserved and residents served through program investments
or policy actions.
Promote equitable and accessible housing options by supporting programs and policies
that help residents across the housing continuum access affordable housing. Measurable
outcomes from investment and policies under this core goal include residents served
through program investments or policy actions.
Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement by supporting programs and policies
that help a resident maintain their existing housing or stay in their community. Measurable
outcomes from investment and policies under this core goal include residents served
through program investments or policy efforts.
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Legislative and Regulatory Priorities

Strengthen the Citys Preservation Ordinance. The City and its partners are taking
steps to clarify language in the Preservation Ordinance through a rulemaking
process, and should coordinate across partners in the Housing Preservation
Network to conduct regular outreach to owners of existing income-restricted
properties to preserve income-restricted rental properties long-term.
Expand and strengthen land use regulations for affordable and mixed-income
housing. Through Blueprint Denver and supplemental implementation actions
such as zoning modifications, the City should support land use regulations that
incentivize affordable and mixed-use housing, including expanding the
development of accessory dwelling units.
Develop more consistent standards for affordable housing in major
redevelopment areas. The City and its partners should foster mixed-income and
mixed-use communities by developing clear standards for the circumstances
when an affordable housing plan will be created for a major redevelopment area
and exploring the creative use of tax-increment financing.
Enhance protections and assistance for renters, including exploring a rental
registry. The City and its partners should support the safety and well-being of all
renters in Denver by exploring a rental registry that would require landlords to
register their rental properties and participate in regular inspections for health
and safety standards.
Stabilize families through tax relief programs. The City and its partners should
promote broader participation among eligible households for existing property tax
relief programs and explore additional forms of tax relief for low and moderate-
income families struggling to keep up with rising property taxes.
Explore a framework and methodology for determining a preference in new
housing for residents at risk of displacement. The City and its partners should
leverage data collected through the Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) process to
explore a framework and methodology for a preference policy aimed at stabilizing
residents at risk of displacement.
Enhance the existing State Low Income Housing Tax Credit. The City and its
partners should back an extension of the existing state tax credit program beyond
its current sunset in 2019 and, in close partnership with the Colorado Housing
and Finance Authority and Colorado Division of Housing, explore additional tools
to enhance the state tax credit to facilitate creation and preservation of affordable
housing in Colorado.
Strategic Use of Land to Support Affordable Housing

Strategic land acquisition is an essential element of Denvers long-term housing pipeline, and is an
important strategy that the City and its partners will pursue to foster mixed-income neighborhoods,
preserve affordability in vulnerable neighborhoods, and introduce affordability to areas with strong
economic opportunities.
Leverage publicly owned land for affordable housing development. While the City
has an existing process when disposing of its land that considers affordable
housing as a potential use, the City and its partners should take proactive steps to
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conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current inventory of public and quasi-

publicly owned land and its suitability for affordable housing development.
Facilitate acquisition of land directly and through partners for housing

development. The City and its partners also have programs and funding resources
that can be used for the direct acquisition of properties, or in partnership with
developers interested in building affordable or mixed-income housing.
Explore tools to promote long-term affordability of housing, including land trusts,
throughout Denver communities. The City and its partners should explore land
trusts as a tool to preserve affordability citywide and in vulnerable neighborhoods,
evaluating factors such as the upfront cost to invest in unit acquisition, ongoing
cost of program development and community stewardship.
Housing for Residents Experiencing Homelessness

With more than 3,336 residents experiencing homelessness on any given night in Denver, the City
and its partners will pursue an integrated approach to providing supportive housing, health services
and job training opportunities to support our most vulnerable residents.
Expand investments in housing options for residents experiencing homelessness
and integrate providers across the housing continuum. The City and its partners
should effectively target housing resources by fully implementing and expanding
the regional Coordinated Entry Systems (CES), OneHome, and employing shelter
diversion strategies to help residents identify alternative housing options, and
connect to services and financial assistance to quickly return to permanent
housing.
Build housing capacity through policy and funding alignment. The City and its
partners should harness resources and integrate investments across the housing
continuum to develop additional supportive housing and evaluate performance of
local projects to resolve episodes of homelessness more quickly.
Prioritize supportive services gap funding for approved supportive housing
projects. The City and its partners should build a supportive services funding
program to create and preserve quality supportive housing, prioritizing funding for
existing supportive housing projects and establishing a framework to review, rank
and award critical service funding to supportive housing projects in the pipeline.
Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing

Skyrocketing housing costs and stagnant wages have put most rental units out of reach for low- and
moderate-income families, with a shortage of approximately 26,000 housing units for the lowest
earners. The City and its partners are focused on strategies that produce new affordable options and
stabilize those at risk of displacement to prevent residents, especially those living on fixed-income
such as seniors and people on disability, from becoming homeless.
Preserve existing income-restricted affordable rental housing in vulnerable
neighborhoods and near transit. The City and its partners should pursue proactive
strategies to support priority preservation projects through acquisition and
rehabilitation financing, and by developing a bridge finance tool to strategically
acquire affordable properties while long-term financing options are assembled.
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Preserve affordability of unsubsidized large-scale affordable rental properties.

The City and its partners should develop and maintain an inventory of
unsubsidized large-scale affordable properties, educate existing owners about the
creative financing tools that are available for preservation, and support
development partners in directly acquiring unsubsidized properties utilizing tools
such as bridge financing and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
Preserve affordability of unsubsidized small-scale affordable rental properties.
The City and its partners should explore a package of financing tools to incentivize
existing owners to preserve unsubsidized small-scale properties and explore
financing tools to strategically acquire these properties.
Promote programs that help families stay in their existing rental housing through
comprehensive eviction assistance. The City and its partners should continue to
support direct financial assistance aimed at stabilizing residents experiencing a
housing crisis to help prevent eviction, displacement, and homelessness.
Promote development of new affordable, mixed-income and mixed-use housing.
The City and its partners should explore financing mechanisms to better support
mixed-income development, including ways to enhance Colorados State Low
Income Housing Tax Credit and partnerships with local employers.
Promote programs that help families access affordable rental housing. The City
and its partners should implement and evaluate the success of the proposed LIVE
Denver program to buy down affordability of existing vacant rental units and
explore ways that tenant assistance can better serve residents experiencing
homelessness.
Attainable Homeownership
Since support for affordable homeownership opportunities can help residents build wealth and
transition out the rental market (leaving an existing rental unit available for another household along
the housing continuum), the City and its partners will invest to build and preserve affordable for-sale
housing units. And with nearly 35,000 homeowners paying too much for their existing homes, many
of them in areas with rapidly rising property taxes, the City and its partners will work to stabilize
residents at risk of displacement through tax relief and other programs.
Promote programs that help families maintain their existing homes. The City and
its partners should target existing homeowner rehabilitation programs to
residents in vulnerable neighborhoods, promote financial literacy education for
prospective and existing homeowners, and promote the development of
accessory dwelling units as a wealth-building tool for low and moderate-income
homeowners.
Promote development of new affordable and mixed-income homeownership
stock. The City and its partners should implement and evaluate the success of
current efforts to incentivize creative financing mechanisms to develop mixed-
income condos.
Preserve affordability of existing income-restricted homeownership stock. The

City and its partners should explore partnerships with key nonprofit and
foundation partners to preserve income-restricted homes built under the
previous Inclusionary Housing Ordinance or major development agreements.
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Preserve affordability of existing unsubsidized affordable for-sale housing. The
City and its partners should explore tools to help preserve the citys existing
affordable housing stock, such as through land trusts or shared appreciation
loans.
Promote programs that help households access for-sale housing. The City and its
partners should continue to support programs that provide down payment and
mortgage interest tax incentives for low and moderate-income residents and
explore new tools such as escrow agreements or lease-to-own models.
A Focus on Serving Residents

Housing an Inclusive Denver signifies a shift from previous planning efforts that have focused
primarily on citywide housing strategies with a preference for creation of new units. Housing an
Inclusive Denver recognizes that neighborhoods across the City face different challenges, have
varying conditions, and offer different opportunities to residents.
If federal and local resources remain consistent with current levels, the City and its partners aim
to leverage the proposed strategies within Housing an Inclusive Denver to create or preserve
approximately 3,000 housing units by 2023.
The City and its partners will measure effectiveness of housing investments not just by the sheer
number of units created or preserved, but by the number of residents who are served through
housing investments. If federal and local resources remain consistent with current levels, the
City and its partners aim to leverage the proposed strategies within this plan to serve at least
30,000 households by 2023 with programs aimed at stabilizing residents at risk of displacement
or those seeking to obtain housing.
Prioritization Along the Housing Continuum

Feedback received from members of the public, housing stakeholders and members of the Housing
Advisory Committee during the development of Housing an Inclusive Denver focused on finding a
balance of investment along the housing continuum.
While investment along the housing continuum can help ensure there are options available for each
population, feedback across stakeholders indicated a need to target housing resources toward the
most vulnerable residents in Denver experiencing homelessness and those earning below 30% AMI.
Based on feedback received as part of the Housing an Inclusive Denver planning process, the
following targets will be used to guide housing investments aligned with the values, goals and
strategies included in this plan:
40 50% of housing resources will be invested to serve people earning below 30% of Area Median
Income (AMI) and those experiencing homelessness who are seeking to access or maintain rental
housing, including:
20-25% of housing resources to serve residents experiencing homelessness
20-25% of housing resources to serve residents earning below 30% AMI
20 30% of housing resources will be invested to serve people earning 31% to 80% AMI who are
seeking to access or maintain rental housing.
20 30% of housing resources will be invested to serve residents seeking to become homeowners
or remain in homes they already own.
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Section 1. Introduction
Denver prides itself on being an open, inclusive, and welcoming place to liveor in the words of
Mayor Michael B. Hancock, a world-class city where everyone matters.
Denvers great art, music, and food scenes, along with its distinctive neighborhoods and natural
beauty, continue to appeal to those who have lived here for generations, and draws newcomers and
adventure-seekers from around the world. Between 2010 and 2017, more than 100,000 people
moved to Denver and the citys economy and housing market gained remarkable strength.
This prosperity drives a new challenge: how to keep neighborhoods affordable in the face of higher
housing costs. Rising rents have outpaced gains in household incomes; increasing home values
threaten to drive out low- and moderate-income families and seniors; and on average, more than
3,000 residents are unable to afford a home at all. Rising housing costs affect all Denver residents,
but are particularly tough for low- to moderate- income renters, residents experiencing
homelessness, seniors, and persons with disabilities.
For many households, the threat of displacement and gentrification is real, creating daunting stress
and instability in their daily lives. The City and its partners want to ensure residents can stay in their
homes and neighborhoods, and that residents who do not currently live in a stable, affordable living
situation can access new rental and homeownership opportunities. Most of all, though, the City and
its partners are focused on ensuring public investments support stronger connections between
housing, good-paying jobs, and healthy living, so all Denver residents can have a good life.
Denver leaders are building on several years of successful efforts to address the citys housing
challenges. In 2016, City Council approved Denvers first-ever dedicated housing fund of $150
million to support affordable housing creation, preservation and programs over a ten-year period.
Since 2015, the City and its partners worked together to house more than 1,500 residents
experiencing homelessness to in permanent supportive and more stable, long-term housing, and
together, will open two more permanent supportive housing developments and two new emergency
shelters by the end of 2017. The Mayors 3x5 Challenge produced 3,000 housing units in just four
yearsone year ahead of schedule and the City helped 1,300 residents become first-time
homeowners through its Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus Program. Additionally, the Mayor created
the new Office of Housing and Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) to work across City
departments to better coordinate and leverage investments in housing, health services and
workforce training.
Denver is at a pivotal point where despite extremely low unemployment (2.2%), high workforce
participation (90%+), and tremendous economic growth, housing costs are growing at such a rapid
pace that incomes cannot keep up. Housing an Inclusive Denver outlines strategies to create and
preserve strong and opportunity-rich neighborhoods with housing that is accessible and affordable to
all Denver residents. This plan explains how the City and its partners will use housing as a platform
to advance opportunity and mitigate displacement over the next five years. Housing an Inclusive
Denver will guide housing policy decisions and resource allocations to create, preserve, and promote
affordable housing over the next five years.
Fundamental Values
Housing an Inclusive Denver is organized, first and foremost, around several fundamental values.
These values include 1) a focus on leveraging and enhancing housing investments to promote the
ongoing development and preservation of inclusive communities in Denver, 2) building communities
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of opportunity that help all residents reach their full potential, 3) supporting housing as a continuum
where the needs and conditions along one part of the continuum influence the success of other
areas, and 4) a need to stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement due to economic
pressures.
The following values guide overarching housing policy and investments to foster an inclusive Denver:
Leverage and enhance housing investments.

Denvers housing challenges are complex and will continue to shift as economic conditions and
demographics change over time. Even with recent steps to expand Denvers housing options,
addressing our evolving housing needs will require creative tools, collaboration across public, private
and nonprofit partners, and expanded resources. The City and its partners will work together to make
impact investments to ensure that residents can stay in their homes and neighborhoods, and that
residents who do not currently live in stable, affordable living situations can access new rental and
homeownership opportunities.
Foster communities of opportunity.

Within Denver, achieving communities of opportunity means that Denver residents have the tools
and resources needed to reach their highest potential. They can lead healthy lives, feel secure in
their homes, and live close to quality jobs, schools, transportation options and services. To
understand specific neighborhood conditions across Denver, Housing an Inclusive Denver takes an
approach to measuring opportunity at the Census Tract-level, modeled off the Opportunity360
platform developed by Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. Through this analysis, the City and its
partners can begin to understand neighborhoods in the context of five opportunity outcomes: stable
and affordable homes; opportunities for economic mobility; connections to comprehensive health
services for overall wellness; access to a quality education; and easy access to mobility and transit
connections. This high-level analysis informs the unique characteristics and opportunities of
Denvers neighborhoods and allows the City to align housing strategies and investments to specific
areas throughout the city. Denvers neighborhoods are grouped based on these shared conditions
and market characteristics.
Support housing as a DEFINING OPPORTUNITY

continuum. Opportunity is defined as a set of circumstances,
In its most recent five-year housing or pathways, that make it possible for people to
strategy, Housing Denver, the City achieve their goals, no matter the point at which
defines its housing continuum as a range they start. From a communitys quality of
from critical needs to workforce education to its transit systems and nearby health
rental to workforce ownership. This care services, Denver and other communities
plan updates this continuum to focus on need better tools to assess the degree of
residents and their unique housing and opportunity that exists in a specific place,
service needs, from those experiencing understand the barriers for a resident in a given
homelessness, to those seeking neighborhood, and identify trends in data to
affordable and workforce rental housing, implement and evaluate programs with the
and attainable homeownership. potential to enhance opportunity.
Recognizing households with a range of
income levels exist within each of these
populations, no static income levels are associated with each group. Instead, specific income levels
will be aligned with specific neighborhood conditions and proposed strategies in annual action plans
aimed at implementing this plan. By creating income targets based on strategies, the City and its
partners can make more informed decisions related to resource allocation and adjust targets based
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on the performance of specific

strategies or as needs along the
CORE GOALS OF HOUSING AN INCLUSIVE DENVER
continuum evolve (rather than based
on pre-defined groupings).
CREATE AFFORDABILITY
Measurable outcomes from investment
Embrace diversity throughout and policies under this core goal include
neighborhoods. new units created.
Denver thrives when our
neighborhoods remain welcoming PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY
communities for all residents. The City Measurable outcomes under this core
and its partners will focus on goal include existing units preserved and
prioritizing investments into programs residents served through program
that support diverse, mixed-income investments or policy actions.
communities that provide opportunity
for all residents to succeed. With this PROMOTE ACCESS TO HOUSING
focus, the City and its partners will Measurable outcomes from investment
consider how investments in and policies under this core goal include
development, preservation and residents served through program
programs support residents and investments or policy actions.
neighborhood development, not just
on units produced or preserved. STABILIZE RESIDENTS
Measurable outcomes from investments
Core Goals and policies under this core goal include
residents served through program
Housing an Inclusive Denver investments or policy actions.
establishes four core goals to guide
the Citys affordable housing
strategies over the next five years:
1) Create affordable housing in vulnerable areas AND in areas of opportunity.

By emphasizing a focus on residents rather than just the production of housing units, the City and its
partners will prioritize specific neighborhood conditions, including areas vulnerable to displacement
and neighborhoods that provide access to opportunity, when creating new affordable housing. The
strategies under this goal include investing in land acquisition for future housing development and
promoting development of mixed-income communities.
2) Preserve affordability and housing quality.

Preservation is a core component of Housing an Inclusive Denver. Denver will focus on preserving
existing affordable housing, both homeownership and rental, in vulnerable neighborhoods and areas
of higher opportunity. The strategies under this goal include investing to maintain affordability in non-
subsidized housing and preserving or continuing affordability of existing publicly subsidized
affordable housing.
3) Promote equitable and accessible housing options.

This plan seeks to align cross-cutting citywide actions and policies to support equitable and
accessible housing options for Denver residents along the housing continuum. Actions or policy
decisions under this goal will enable housing strategies more broadly through community
engagement, formal legislative or regulatory action, new and creative finance mechanisms, or
programs that help residents access existing housing.
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4) Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement.

This plan seeks to build upon previous City efforts to identify neighborhoods throughout Denver that
are vulnerable to gentrification by targeting resources to serve residents, both homeowners and
renters, who are at risk of displacement. Policies or investments under this goal are aimed at helping
to stabilize residents and support diverse, inclusive communities.
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Denvers Approach to Neighborhoods

Housing an Inclusive Denver recognizes that neighborhoods across the city face different challenges,
have varying conditions,
and offer different Overview of Denvers Neighborhood Types
opportunities to their
residents. Neighborhoods
throughout Denver exhibit
a range of market-driven
and demographic
conditions that make
residents vulnerable to
displacement and provide
various levels of
affordability for
homeowners and renters.
Longstanding Denver
residents in many
neighborhoods are
finding it difficult to
remain in their homes.
This process of
gentrification - where
more affluent people
move into older, often
disinvested areas, causing property values to increase and resulting in the displacement of lower-
income residents is currently impacting several Denver neighborhoods.
This plan builds upon previous work that the City has conducted to understand what makes a
neighborhood vulnerable to involuntary displacement. In 2016, Denvers Office of Economic
Development (OED) released Gentrification Study: Mitigating Involuntary Displacement, an analysis
that aimed to identify the factors that cause residential displacement, determine neighborhoods
where displacement is occurring or could happen, and inform how the City and its partners invest
resources into housing and economic development to promote equitable and inclusive
neighborhoods. Since the release of the study, the City and its partners created a permanent source
of funding for affordable housing activates, strategically acquired land in vulnerable neighborhoods,
and integrated the studys neighborhood typology to evaluate housing investments.
With the unique characteristics of neighborhoods in mind, Housing an Inclusive Denver integrates
the Gentrification Studys analysis to also understand how neighborhoods across the city promote
access to opportunity. As part of this plan, the City and its partners developed five neighborhood
types informed by Enterprises Opportunity360 platform to align placed-based strategies and assets
related to housing, health, economic mobility, transportation, and education throughout Denver.
These neighborhood types help ensure that housing production and preservation strategies address
the unique opportunities within specific neighborhoods, including vulnerable neighborhoods, and
address the core issue of displacement and lack of affordable housing options. In other words, these
neighborhood types account for place and enable the City to categorize specific strategies in relation
to both the housing continuum and opportunity outcomes in neighborhoods throughout Denver.
Find more detailed information about the neighborhood types in Section 10: Key Supplemental
Information.
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Community Engagement
As part of the community engagement process to develop Housing an Inclusive Denver, the City and
its partners conducted a public survey, public meetings, and a host of individual meetings with key
stakeholder groups across Denver. First and foremost, the survey and public meeting participants
affirmed the widespread need for affordable and workforce housing throughout the City of Denver.
Input received from more than 200 attendees at the public meetings and more than 1,000 public
survey responses suggested the City prioritize investments in a variety of different neighborhoods
and foster a mix of housing types to achieve diverse communities.
Key themes for investment of housing resources:
1) Balance investments along the housing spectrum. Members of the public identified the need to
invest in housing along the income spectrum, including permanent housing for the homeless,
low-income rental housing for those on disability, social security, or very low wages, workforce
rental housing for workers who earn slightly more but are still struggling with housing costs, and
homeownership for moderate-income families. Respondents to the public survey prioritized low-
income rental housing (29%) and permanent housing for the homeless (23%) among these
options. Public meeting participants prioritized workforce rental housing (27%) and low-income
rental housing (24%) among these options.
2) Balance investments in housing development and preservation. Members of the public identified
the need to balance housing investments in development of new affordable housing and
preservation of existing affordable housing. Respondents to the public survey prioritized the
investment of more or slightly more resources to preserve affordability of existing affordable
housing over development of new affordable housing by a narrow margin. Specifically, 52% of
respondents identified more resources or slightly more resources to preserve affordability of
existing housing compared to 48% that identified more resources and slightly more
resources to build new affordable housing.
3) Balance investments throughout Denver neighborhoods. Members of the public identified the
need to balance housing investments in vulnerable neighborhoods and those that currently have
limited affordable options. In the public survey, respondents prioritized the investment of more or
slightly more resources to expand affordable housing in neighborhoods with limited options for
low- and moderate-income families by a narrow margin. Specifically, 50% of respondents
identified more resources and slightly more resources to neighborhoods with limited options
compared to 49% that identified more resources and slightly more resources to housing in
vulnerable neighborhoods.
About one-third of Denver residents said their current housing situation was not affordable. Among
these residents, more than half said that increased rent was the main reason for lack of affordability,
followed by one-third of respondents who said changes in their income have affected their ability to
afford their current housing situation. [Figures 1.1-1.2]
The open-ended responses further underscored how changing housing costs have affected residents
living in already unaffordable housing situations. Some respondents credited outside help or reliance
on family for their ability to keep up with changes in housing costs and unexpected circumstances,
like long-term illness. Others noted limited options in Denver when living on fixed incomes, such as
Social Security. The survey results also suggested support for inclusion, more resources to both
preserve affordability of existing affordable housing and build new affordable housing, and housing
investments that serve vulnerable residents. The survey results also helped the City and its partners
Page | 17
better understand what factors are important to Denver residents when making choices about their
housing situation.
Importance of inclusion. The survey asked a series of questions about the importance of living in
areas with diverse neighborsthose of different races and ethnicities, economic statuses, or ages
and lifestyles. Consistently, a majority of respondents recognized the importance of living in these
types of neighborhoods. Specifically, 64% of respondents said it was very important" or "important
to live in a diverse neighborhood with residents at a variety of ages and lifestyles. Additionally, 58%
of respondents said it was "very important" or "important" to live in an economically diverse
neighborhood. [Figures 1.3-1.5]
Support for more resources for housing-related work. Nearly the same share of respondents ranked
"more resources to preserve affordability of existing housing" and "more resources to build new
affordable housing" as their top priorities, suggesting that both activities should receive additional
resources. Thirty-nine percent of respondents ranked more resources to expand affordable housing
in neighborhoods with limited options for low- and moderate-income families as their top priority,
followed by 35% of respondents, who ranked more resources to stabilize housing in vulnerable
neighborhoods as the second priority. [Figures 1.6-1.7]
Support for serving vulnerable residents. A majority of respondents were concerned that Denver
lacks enough affordable housing for seniors and persons with disabilities (61%); residents
experiencing homelessness (56%), and families with young children (54%). More than one-third of
respondents ranked low-income rental housing for those on disability, social security, or very low
wages as their top priority when asked how the City should prioritize housing investments across
income levels. And 67% of respondents ranked this option as either their first or second priority.
[Figures 1.8-1.9]
Importance of cost and location in housing decisions. Overwhelmingly, housing cost was the most
important factor when Denver residents choose a home, with 84% of respondents including it as an
important factor. After housing cost, proximity to employment, perceived neighborhood safety, and
features of the housing itself were important to at least one-half of all respondents. [Figure 1.10]
Page | 18
Section 2. Current Housing and Demographic Conditions

As noted in the community engagement section, Denvers strong housing market is becoming
increasingly costly for residents. The market currently commands higher home values and rents as
compared to 2000 levels and lacks rental units that are affordable and available to low-income
households. Cost-burdens are widespread, affecting 36% of Denver residents, and renters at a rate
more than twice as high as owners. Across all income levels, these higher costs are
disproportionately affecting extremely and very low-income households.
As part of developing Housing an Inclusive Denver, the City completed a data-driven analysis of
citywide housing needs, market conditions, and the homeless delivery system, using both national
and local data sources. This analysis was refined with input from stakeholders and Denver residents
collected through focus groups, public meetings, and an online survey. Key findings related to
residents experiencing homelessness; affordable and workforce rental housing, and attainable
homeownership are summarized in this section.
Residents Experiencing Homelessness

Homeless population. In January 2017, 3,336 households reported experiencing homelessness on a
given night in Denver.i However, the point-in-time picture of people living without homes is a single
snapshot in time and fails to capture households moving in and out of homelessness throughout the
year. In addition to the one-night count, the waitlist for the Coordinated Entry System, OneHome,
which provides a regional common assessment tool for targeting housing to those experiencing
homelessness, is more than 4,000 individual households and the eligibility list for the Denver Social
Impact Bond Project targeting homeless frequent users of the jail system includes more than 2,000
individuals.
Broad spectrum of homeless population. Most households counted through the Point-in-Time Count
Report (PIT) are households without children (2,514) and the remaining share are households with
children (261). Other household composition characteristics include:
1. Newly Homeless: 471 respondent households
2. Chronically Homeless: 701 respondent households
3. Veterans: 457 respondent households
4. Unaccompanied youth: 267 respondent households
The working homeless population. 61% of respondent households in the 2017 PIT survey reported
that they or a member of their family had received income from working in the past month.
Housing the Homeless. Below is a summary of the findings from a review of the Citys partnerships
with providers to serve residents that are experiencing homelessness.
Data suggests individuals are cycling in and out of homelessness, leaving one intervention for
another, sometimes simply moving from one shelter to the next.
A significant portion of the population is entering the homelessness assistance system from
staying with family and friends, indicating an opportunity to implement diversion strategies.
Through investment in Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), Denver is successfully targeting
resources to those with the greatest need who are coming from literal homelessness situations,
such as living on the street or in a place not meant for human habitation.
There is some movement among households experiencing homelessness from PSH into shorter
term housing solutions (e.g. Rapid Re-housing) which suggests a potential need for improved
targeting
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There is a need to evaluate PSH policies/criteria, such as, of people exiting PSH, is rapid
rehousing (RRH) the only alternative.
A significant portion of households reviewed who were exiting temporary (transitional) housing
were doing so to another temporary housing program, which suggest the need for more
permanent, non-time-limited solutions.
Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing

Cost-burdened households are most prevalent among renters. Nearly 68,000 renter households
across all income ranges were paying too much for housing (compared with 35,000 owner
households) in 2015 (see Figure 2.1). In other words, these renters are cost-burdened, paying
more than 30% of their income toward monthly housing costs. The number and share of renters
experiencing cost burdens increased by 5% between 2010 and 2015. The most vulnerable renters
those who are housing insecuremake up about 14.7% of Denvers total population.
Higher rents. The citywide average rent is $1,376.ii Rents in neighborhoods like Downtown and City
Park/North Central Denver are even as much as 20% higher (see Table 2.1). Similarly, smaller units,
such as efficiencies and one-bedroom units, command rents 1315% higher than Fair Market Rent
(FMR). Asking rents above FMR suggest that households using rental assistance like Section 8
vouchers may already be having trouble accessing smaller units. Rents within Denver have increased
within the last five years: Between 2011 and 2016 the average rent increased by 46% (from $941 to
$1,376), increasing 16% between 2014 and 2016 alone (see Figure 2.2).iii
Shortage of affordable and available rental units for low-income households. While Denvers housing
market recently absorbed more than 16,000 newly constructed rental units, Denver has a shortage
of affordable and available rental units for all low-income households, especially extremely low-
income households. A need exists for at least an additional 15,500 units for extremely low-income
renters to create enough units for households at that income level (see Figure 2.3).iv Ideally, these
units would come with income restrictions
so households at those income levels
KEY DEFINITIONS do not have to compete with higher
income households for these units.
Affordable housing: As a general rule, housing where
Today, more than 10,500 affordable
occupants pay no more than 30% of his or her rental units are not available to low-
income for gross housing costs, including utilities. income households because they are
This standard is set by the U.S. Department of occupied by a higher-income
Housing and Urban Development (HUD). household.
Cost-burdened: Households paying more than 30% Older, more affordable units in
of their income on housing costs. demand. Residents face competition
for older, more affordable rental units.
Compared with the newer rental units
Severely cost-burdened: Households paying more
(those built after 2010), older units
than 50% of their income on housing costs. (those built before 1979) had a much
lower vacancy rate than new units, as
Housing Insecure: Low-income households paying well as the citywide vacancy rate for
more than 50% of their income on housing costs. rental housing.v Further analysis
related to Denvers unsubsidized, large-
scale inventory reinforces the
importance of older multifamily buildings in the citys affordable housing supply. More than 130
properties offer average rents in line with Fair Market Rents for studios ($844), one bedrooms
Page | 20
($1,031), and two bedrooms ($1,305).vi Most of these properties have characteristics that suggest
they may need renovations, including being classified as Class C properties and built at least three
decades ago (if not more).vii
Attainable Homeownership
Owners paying too much for housing. About 35,000 owner households were paying too much for
housing in 2015, although the number and share of owners experiencing cost burdens decreased by
7% between 2010 and 2015.viii While fewer owner households currently experience cost-burdens,
the share of low-income households increased within Denver, outpacing growth in their renter
counterparts.ix Similarly, characteristics of the citys cost-burdened owners suggest they may need
assistance to maintain their current housing situations. And some stakeholders echoed concerns for
existing homeowners during the public engagement process. For instance, one-third of cost-
burdened owner households are seniors, who may need accessibility features (now or in the future),
and 31% are extremely or very low-income households, who may need to make repairs or upgrades
to their homes.x
Increasing property values. Another issue affecting homeowners are higher tax bills, resulting from
higher assessed property values. Changes in assessed property values between 2011 and 2017
underscore how affordability could change for owners, especially if recent trends continue. While
stagnant as recently as 2011, assessed property values have increased by about 30% over the past
two assessment cycles.xi Some of the highest concentrations of higher assessed values during the
2017 assessment cycle are in adjacent neighborhoods in western Denver like Villa Park, Ruby Hill,
and Mar Lee. Note that these neighborhoods were identified in the Office of Economic
Developments Gentrification Study: Mitigating Involuntary Displacement as vulnerable to
gentrification.
Higher home sales price. Residents interested in becoming homeowners within Denver are finding
themselves priced out of the city, especially in strong for-sale markets. The median home price is
$378,000 for a detached single-family home and $300,940 for an attached single-family home. The
median home price increased significantly between 2012 and 2016. The median price of detached
homes increased 43%, while the median price of attached homes increased 96% (see Table 2.2 and
Figure 2.4).
Limited for-sale inventory. The overall

supply of for-sale inventory is limited for WHO IS COST-BURDENED?
residents interested in purchasing a Renters: Of all the cost-burdened Denver renters,
home. The Metro Denver Board of 54% are single-person households without
Realtors estimates that the city only had children, 35% do not have post-secondary
a one-month supply of detached homes education, 16% are single parent households, 11%
and a two-month supply of attached are seniors and 7% are veterans.
homes on the market during 2016. xii As a
point of comparison, the city had a five- Owners: Of all cost-burdened Denver owners, 44%
month supply of attached homes during are single-person households without children,
2012. Both detached and attached 29% do not have post-secondary education, 26%
homes are selling quickly, only staying on are married households without children, 30% are
the market an average of 30 to 51 days, seniors and 10% are veterans.
respectively.
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Figure 2.1 | Number of Cost-Burdened Households (2015), Denver, CO
Fi
Figure 2.1 | Number of cost-burdened households (2015), Denver, CO
gure 2.1 | Number of cost-burdened households (2015), Denver, CO
Source: 2015 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample
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Section 3. Housing and Affordability Investments

More than 100,000 new residents have moved to Denver since 2010, and construction of new
housing units has surged, with more than 5,000 permits approved for residential units each year
over the same period. While Denver, like other major cities, has experienced an increase in scrape-
offs where a typically older, smaller and more affordable home is replaced with a larger and more
expensive home, most of the units constructed over the last several years have increased the citys
overall inventory of housing. But the pace of residential development has not kept up with population
increases, exacerbating rising housing costs due to limited supply.
Over the last several years, the City has taken steps to foster and increase its overall supply of
housing in anticipation of new population growth. The original Blueprint Denver plan aimed to
channel development into areas of change and set the stage for the Citys transition from a use-
based zoning code where land uses were divided across the city by districts (for example, zone
districts that focus on residential, commercial and industrial uses rather than allowing a mix of uses)
to a form-based zoning code that integrates neighborhood context and a mix of uses throughout
neighborhoods. Denvers transition to a form-based zoning code allowed increased density in
appropriate areas of the city, especially near transit and the citys downtown core. The City and its
partners recognize that addressing affordability in Denver will take a multitude of different policy
strategies over time, including those aimed at increasing the overall supply of housing in the city to
keep pace with population. Section 4 of this plan outlines several paths the City and its partners
should explore as part of the Denveright planning process and update to Blueprint Denver to
continue to increase the overall supply of housing.
While increasing the overall supply of housing can help address the affordability of the citys new and
existing housing stock, increased inventory alone is unlikely to produce housing affordable to the
lowest income and most vulnerable residents. This plan aims to find a balance in addressing
affordability along the housing continuum, recognizing that inclusive communities offer choice in
housing for residents at a variety of income levels.
Analyze existing housing resources for performance, structure and sustainability.

The City and its partners have taken important steps in the last several years to increase housing
investments, but implementing the strategies outlined in this plan will take creative solutions and bold
steps to promote inclusive communities in Denver. As part of the implementation of Article V, Chapter
27 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code (D.R.M.C.) that created the dedicated housing fund, the City
will conduct an analysis and review of the ordinance prior to August 2019. The Citys analysis of the
ordinance should consider performance and structure of the existing revenue sources and the
ongoing sustainability and extension of funding sources in the housing fund.
Explore opportunities to expand existing resources for housing investments.

In addition to a policy review of the existing dedicated housing fund, the City and its partners should
explore other opportunities to expand housing resources. Exploration of additional housing resources
should include specific partnerships with public, private and nonprofit entities as outlined in this plan,
such as through the development of a preservation fund, enhancing the State Low Income Housing
Tax Credit (LIHTC), or partnerships with foundations and employers. Additionally, the exploration of
additional housing resources should include opportunities to maximize the Citys resources available
for housing, including bonds or new fees.
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Coordinate housing investments with the Citys other affordability resources.

The Citys housing resources are complemented by investments into other components of
affordability, including health, jobs, and transit access. The City and its partners should continue to
identify opportunities to leverage and expand the resources available for housing and affordability
investments. But the City and its partners should also explore ways to better coordinate existing
housing and affordability investments, ensuring that limited resources are invested as effectively as
possible to serve Denvers low and moderate-income families in need. Likewise, the City and its
partners should develop more coordinated data collection and outcome metrics for City investments
across housing and affordability programs.
Find more detailed information about housing and affordability investments in Section 10: Key
Supplemental Information.
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Section 4. Legislative and Regulatory Strategies

Denver already has several legislative and regulatory tools to facilitate and promote affordable
housing developmentbut more are needed to adequately address the growing affordable housing
needs and varying neighborhood conditions described in this plan.
Over the next five years, the City and its partners will explore and implement legislative and
regulatory actions that strengthen existing tools such as the Citys preservation ordinance, better-
align land use regulations to support affordable and mixed-income housing development, protect
tenants of rental housing, and support inclusive communities through cultural diversity.
Strengthen the Citys Preservation Ordinance.

GOAL: Preserve Affordability
Denvers existing Preservation Ordinance is intended to preserve
existing affordable housing (those restricted through a covenant,
contract or other affordability restriction on the property). Today, it
accomplishes this objective through two primary tools: right-of-
first-refusal and its affordability period (up to 20 years). Under
the right-of-first-refusal, owners of locally and federally subsidized housing must notify the City if
they plan to sell their building or convert their units to market-rate housing. When an owner decides
to sell his or her property, the City or a selected designee has a right-of-first-refusal, enabling the City
to facilitate the acquisition of the property at terms that are consistent with a market offer.
The City and its partners are already working to clarify language within its Preservation Ordinance a
tool that helps protect affordability after more proactive approaches have been exhausted through
the development of rules and regulations. The City and its partners should clarify through the
rulemaking process the specific timelines and requirements for executing the right-of-first-refusal,
when and where preservation should be prioritized under the right-of-first-refusal (including factors
such as the propertys proximity to transit or neighborhoods where residents are vulnerable to
displacement), and specific steps the City or its designee can take to use notification periods
outlined in the Preservation Ordinance as proactively as possible to evaluate a preservation
opportunity.
While the Preservation Ordinance provides the City or its designee a right-of-first refusal to preserve
existing affordable housing, there are challenges with exercising this right to purchase a property.
The right-of-first-refusal works well when a willing buyer has quick access to capital, but can be
challenging with affordable housing when multiple layers of financing are required to acquire and
rehabilitate the property. With Denvers increasingly costly housing market, many of the
opportunities for the City to exercise its right-of-first-refusal have been cost-prohibitive in recent
years, especially given the Ordinances timeline to match a market offer. Investment strategies
aimed at preserving existing income-restricted rental affordable housing stock are outlined in
Section 7, as well as strategies aimed at coordinating across partners such as CHFAs Housing
Preservation Network to preserve existing affordable rental housing.
As existing efforts to strengthen the Preservation Ordinance are implemented, the City and its
partners should consider other ways to enhance this preservation tool: 1) extending notice
requirements as a means to assemble alternative financing or allocate additional funding for
expiring properties, 2) explore using a right-of-first-offer in addition to the right-of-first-refusal to
enable the City or its designees to make the first offer on a property prior to sale creating a more
streamlined (and ideally less costly) sale process, 3) work with potential purchasers to extend
affordability commitments, and 4) enhance support for tenants at the termination of income-
Page | 25
restrictions, including provisions for relocation assistance if the property converts to market-rate
housing.
Key Actions:
Clarify as part of the rulemaking process for the Preservation Ordinance the process for
executing the right-of-first-refusal, when and where preservation should occur (including factors
such as the propertys proximity to transit or in neighborhoods where residents are vulnerable
to displacement), and steps to use the Ordinances notification period as proactively as
possible.
Coordinate across partners in CHFAs Housing Preservation Network to conduct regular
outreach to owners of existing-income restricted properties to understand and identify
preservation opportunities that recognize the unique needs of property owners, including
rehabilitation, acquisition or other financing.
Develop strong relationships with preservation partners and creative financing solutions to
preserve properties under the Preservation Ordinance, including exploring bridge capital
available for acquisition while long-term finance tools are layered together.
Explore other ways to enhance provisions within the Preservation Ordinance related to notice
requirements, right-of-first-offer options, and support for tenants in income-restricted
properties.
Expand and strengthen land use regulations for

affordable and mixed-income housing. GOALS: Create Affordability,
Promote Access to Housing
The City is currently undergoing a community vision process called
Denveright. This effort focuses on creating a vision of what Denver
will look like in 2040. A key vision element of the Denveright
planning process is to create equitable, affordable and inclusive
communities throughout Denver. While Denveright has a broader
planning scope that includes long-range strategies across a variety of areas such as land use,
transit, trails and open space, this plan serves as a tool to implement key components of the
Equitable, Affordable and Inclusive vision element by promoting affordable housing options and
access to opportunity.
During the public engagement process for this plan, stakeholders shared their ideas about ways that
the City could strengthen land use regulations to both support affordable housing projects and more
broadly increase diversity of housing types throughout Denver. These ideas focused around three key
areas that could be supported in Blueprint Denver, the Citys long-range land use and transportation
plan and part of Denveright: 1) streamlining and facilitating the development of accessory dwelling
units as a tool for affordability and to stabilize residents at risk of displacement; 2) promoting a
diversity of residential development types throughout Denver neighborhoods, including density as a
tool to increase housing supply and introduce affordability; and 3) creating a package of
development incentives that support affordable housing projects and promote the development of
more mixed-income projects citywide.
Currently, about 25% of Denver, excluding Denver International Airport, is zoned to support
development of an accessory dwelling unit, a secondary unit that can be attached or detached
from the primary residence. However, some of the lots in these areas are not large enough to qualify
for an accessory dwelling unitor ADU. This building form can provide more attainably priced housing
options throughout predominantly single-family neighborhoods, and can act as a wealth building tool
to help low and moderate-income residents remain in vulnerable neighborhoods. Expanding the
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number and type of neighborhoods that allow ADUs should be explored as part of the Blueprint
Denver update.
To support development of ADUs in existing and future areas of the city, the City and its partners are
looking to peer cities that have streamlined ADU development through expedited review of pre-
approved design templates, finance packages to support homeowners with the cost of construction
of ADUs, and a training curriculum that provides information about becoming a landlord and finding
tenants for the ADU. Recommendations about the programmatic steps that Denver and its partners
are taking to encourage development of ADUs as an anti-displacement strategy are outlined in
Section 8.
Similarly, other forms

of multi-unit residential
housing development
can increase overall
housing supply and
provide more
attainably priced
options for low and
moderate-income
families in Denver.
Examples might
include duplexes, Missing middle housing includes a variety of development types
fourplexes, rowhomes such as duplexes, rowhomes, townhomes, and fourplexes, all of
or cohousing options which can provide a greater range of housing options in Denver
where individual units neighborhoods. This type of housing typically serves people who are
are grouped together living well above the poverty line, but still struggle to afford housing
in a single building in Denver, such as teachers and firefighters.
with shared amenities
such as kitchen or
community space. The City should encourage the development of these missing middle
development types throughout Denver neighborhoods to provide residents with a diversity of housing
choices (including price, size, and tenure of housing options) through specific zoning and land use
recommendations in Blueprint Denver.
Likewise, the City has already taken steps to pilot a permitting process for development of tiny
homes, typically homes that are more affordable due to their size at 400 square feet or less. The
City and its partners should implement and evaluate the success of the tiny home pilot program and
explore opportunities to expand this tool throughout Denver.
With the citys past population growth (and anticipating more in the next few years), the update to
Blueprint Denver and subsequent implementation measures such as zoning should also direct more
dense development to appropriate areas throughout Denver neighborhoods, especially focusing on
current or planned transit corridors. The City and its partners are already taking steps to pilot an
incentive overlay for building heights aimed at providing added density near transit in exchange for
affordable housing at the 38th and Blake Station Area. The City and its partners should implement
and evaluate the success of the incentive overlay and explore expanding the program to other areas
where increased density may be appropriate, such as near transit. Likewise, language in the update
to Blueprint Denver should explicitly reference how housing affordability will be addressed in areas of
the city where increased density is considered to promote equitable and inclusive communities.
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While Denvers zoning code does have some

specific incentives for affordable housing such HOW LINKAGE FEES WORK
as an alternative minimum vehicle parking Housing Linkage Fees fees are paid at the
ratio which allows for a parking reduction time of building permit issuance for
when a project serves persons earning below residential or commercial development.
40% AMI, these incentives are limited and lack Since new commercial and residential
clear guidelines that could support affordable development creates the demand for new
housing and encourage developers to include employees, the housing linkage fee helps
affordable units within a mixed-income offset the cost of construction of affordable
development. For this parking reduction, for housing for low-income employees.
example, the zoning code does not specify if a Developers of new commercial and
minimum number of 40% AMI units are needed residential development can pay the fee or
to qualify for the incentive or the affordability build housing that is affordable for
period for these units. households earning up to 80% of the Area
Median Income.
With the adoption of the Citys housing linkage
fee, residential and commercial developers
have the option to build affordable, income-restricted units as an alternative to paying this fee
(sometimes called the build alternative). However, without other regulatory tools to encourage
development of affordable units, residential and commercial developers may find paying the linkage
fee easier and more cost-effective. The City should encourage more mixed-income development in
Denver by creating a package of incentives that provide value for a developer. This package may
include more clearly defined parking reductions, lower building permit fees, or special staff support
to navigate the complex multi-agency permitting process, in exchange for a certain percentage of
affordable units built onsite.
Key Actions:
Encourage development of a mix of residential development types throughout Denver
neighborhoods that provide residents with a diversity of housing choices (including price, size,
and tenure of housing options) through specific zoning and land use recommendations in
Blueprint Denver.
Evaluate success of the current tiny home pilot program and explore opportunities to expand
the program throughout other areas of Denver.
Implement and evaluate success of a proposed incentive overlay for building heights at the
38th and Blake transit station and explore expanding the program to other areas where
increased density may be appropriate, such as near transit.
Create a package of incentives that provide value for a developer, such as more clearly defined
parking reductions, lower building permit fees, or special staff support to navigate the complex
multi-agency permitting process, in exchange for a certain percentage of affordable units built
onsite.
Develop more consistent guidelines for affordable

housing in major redevelopment areas. GOALS: Create Affordability,
In recent years, City leaders have also worked to foster mixed-
income communities through the provision of affordable housing at
major infill development sites. Some examples of these
communities include the redevelopment of the former St. Anthonys
Hospital in the West Colfax neighborhood and former University of
Colorado Health Sciences Center in the Hale neighborhood. While affordable and mixed-income
housing was included as part of these redevelopment areas, the Citys zoning code and other land
Page | 28
use regulations do not provide clear guidance for

developers of major redevelopment sites on the National Case Studies:
specific circumstances when to develop an affordable
Austin, TX uses a Tax Increment
housing plan or the specific steps associated with plan
development, such as when to submit it as part of the Reinvestment Zone to combat
site planning process. displacement by using a portion of
the increased tax revenue in
Since Denver has a limited supply of undeveloped appreciating areas to serve low and
land that can be used to support affordable and moderate-income households
mixed-income development, the City should develop
through development and
clear standards for the circumstances when an
affordable housing plan should be created for a major preservation of affordable housing in
redevelopment site and provide clear guidance on the the district.
process to develop and execute the plan.
Circumstances could include sites that utilize a
General Development Plan, Infrastructure Master Plan, or similar tool; sites that utilize tax increment
financing; or infill sites above a certain acreage or include a specific number of residential housing
units. A plan for how affordable housing will be addressed in a major redevelopment area should be
closely coordinated across City and partner agencies, including the Office of Economic Development,
Community Planning and Development, Department of Finance, and the Denver Urban Renewal
Authority.
In addition to developing more clear guidelines for when and how affordable housing should be
integrated into major redevelopment areas, the City and its partners should explore creative uses of
tax-increment financing to promote inclusive communities throughout Denver. Since the use of tax-
increment financing is coordinated closely with the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and Denver
Public Schools and subject to numerous state regulations careful analysis of creative uses of tax
increment financing should be conducted in partnerships with these agencies.
Key Actions:
Develop clear standards for the circumstances when an affordable housing plan (such as sites
with a General Development Plan, Infrastructure Master Plan, or similar tool) should be created
for a major redevelopment site and provide clear guidance on the process to develop and
execute the plan.
Explore creative uses of tax-increment financing that can support low and moderate-income
residents, including how TIF can be used to support the Citys anti-displacement strategies, in
close partnership with the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and Denver Public Schools.
Enhance protections and assistance for renters,

including exploring a rental registry. GOALS: Preserve Affordability,
Promote Access to Housing,
Today, about one-half of Denver residents rent their homes. Stabilize Residents
Unfortunately, low and moderate-income renters occupy a
precarious position within the City of Denver: rents have
dramatically outpaced incomes over the past two decades and
many are at risk of being displaced from their homes,
especially in vulnerable neighborhoods. Denver has limited
affordable options available within the city if low- and moderate-income renters are displaced, and
limited legal protections to ensure renters can remain in their communities and live in safe, decent
conditions. Anecdotally, renters are afraid to report problems with their homes and many tenants live
without a lease, creating uncertainty and limited legal recourse in the event of a rent increase.
Page | 29
The City of Denver already protects all its residents

through building, fire, and public health code
National Case Studies:
enforcement activities. In 2016, the Department of
Seattle, WA adopted a rental Environmental Health, which responds to residential
registration and inspection ordinance health and housing complaints under the Citys public
(RRIO) that created an online health code, responded to more than 1,100
database of all registered rental complaints. These health and safety concerns ranged
properties that the public could use from mold to pest infestations to heating and
to check for basic health and safety plumbing issues. Like many cities, Denvers code
enforcement activities are largely complaint-based,
standards before signing a lease. meaning a resident would need to both identify and
Under Seattles RRIO, landlords must report a code violation to the City. Under a complaint-
renew their registered properties driven system, residents without general protections
every five years and all registered offered by a lease may not want to report problems
properties are inspected at least with their homesincluding those problems that
once every 10 years. threaten their health and safety. To assist these
residents, the City can undertake more proactive
enforcement of health, safety and building codes.
The City will explore development of a rental registry to promote the safety and well-being of all
renters, requiring landlords to register their rental properties and participate in regular inspections
for health and safety issues, among other provisions. Landlords generally must pay a small
registration fee to help cover the administrative costs with the registry program, including
inspections.
In addition to ensuring all residents live in a safe home, a rental registry could provide a means for
the City to expand basic protections for tenants. These expanded tenant protections could include
more standard lease practices as well as well as education and outreach about tenants rights. As
part the exploration of a rental registry, the City and its partners should consider ways to protect
residents from discrimination based on the source of their income, for example, from Social Security,
rental assistance such as Housing Choice Vouchers, or child support.
Neighboring cities like Boulder and Westminister use a rental registry and require landlords to create
a written lease for any rental exceeding 30 days and provide a copy of that lease to tenants. In
addition, Boulder provides educational materials on a variety of topics, like the process to request
home repairs and landlord-tenant roles and responsibilities (through its Landlord-Tenant Handbook).
As part of the process to explore a rental registry program in Denver, the City should conduct an
analysis of the citywide staffing capacity required to oversee the program during initial development
of a rental registry and throughout ongoing inspections.
A key component of supporting renters that might be at risk of displacement includes protecting
residents during a housing crisis. The City has already taken steps to support renters experiencing or
at-risk of eviction by providing the following assistance: 1) temporary rental and utility assistance for
renters experiencing a crisis, such as a notice of rent increase or sudden loss of income, aimed at
preventing eviction; 2) a comprehensive tenant rights guidebook aimed at educating residents
experiencing or at risk of an eviction about their rights under Colorado law; and 3) distribution of
eviction assistance and resource information to residents facing an eviction through outreach
workers in eviction court. Find more information about these investment strategies in Section 7 of
this plan.
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Key Actions:
Explore a rental registry to promote the safety and well-being of all renters, requiring landlords
to register their rental properties and participate in regular inspections for health and safety
issues.
Explore ways to implement more standard lease practices between landlords and tenants as
part of the exploration of a rental registry.
Explore ways to protect residents from discrimination based on the source of their income, for
example, from Social Security, rental assistance such as Housing Choice Vouchers, or alimony
as part of the exploration of a rental registry.
Conduct an analysis of the citywide staffing capacity required to develop and administer a
rental registry, including during the initial registration process and ongoing inspections,
certifications, and proactive steps to maintain a high quality of housing stock.
Stabilize families through tax relief programs.

GOAL: Stabilize Residents
Compared with other cities, Denvers residential property taxes are
relatively low; the Citys Department of Finance estimates they
make up approximately 40% of a property owners total tax bill.xiii
However, many families within Denver are struggling to keep pace
with their property tax bills. The average assessed value increased 30% citywide between the 2015
and 2017 assessment cycles, and in many neighborhoods, these increases were much higher (as
much as 70%). At the same time, many vulnerable populations, such as seniors and persons with
disabilities, are already cost-burdened; data suggests that seniors (aged 65 years or older) comprise
about one-third of homeowners that are both low-income and paying more than 50% of their monthly
income on housing costs.
The City of Denver already offers some forms of tax relief for seniors and disabled veterans through a
number of programs:
1. Property Tax Exemption for Seniors and Disabled Veterans. This exemption enables seniors
(aged 65 years or older), their surviving spouses, and disabled veterans who have lived in their
home as their primary residence for at least 10 years to exempt taxes on a share of a home
(50% on the first $200,000). The State of Colorado reimburses the Denver Assessors Office
for the property taxes exempted through this program.
2. Property Tax Deferral Program for Seniors and Active Military Personnel. This program defers
the property taxes for qualified seniors (aged 65 years or older) and active duty military
personnel. The state of Colorado pays the Denver Assessors Office for the property taxes
deferred through this program; a lien is placed on the participants property that does not have
to be paid unless the participant no longer qualifies for the deferral.
3. Property Tax/Rent/Heat Credit (PTC) Rebate. In place since 1971, this rebate pays back part
of household expenses for property taxes, utilities, and rent for low-income seniors, a surviving
spouse of a senior, or a resident with a disability (regardless of age). The total rebate is based
on a households income and expenses.
4. Elderly and Disabled Refund Payment. This program provides a partial refund of property
taxes, or the equivalent in rent, paid by qualified Denver residents who are 65 years or older
and are income limited or disabled. The refund does not have to be paid back and there is not
lien attached to the property. In 2017, the income of qualifying participants cannot exceed
$15,900 for a single person or $23,100 for couples.
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The City should take proactive steps to promote broader participation among eligible households in
existing property tax relief programs by actively marketing to eligible households through
partnerships with community-based organizations, social service agencies such as the Department
of Veterans Affairs, and in neighborhoods where assessed values have increased more than the
citywide average.
However, as tax bills continue to rise, the City will also explore additional local forms of tax relief for
low- and moderate-income residents struggling to keep up with rising property taxes. The City may
consider expanding the existing tax relief program for seniors to a broader group of residents living
on a limited income or explore other forms of tax relief for low- and moderate-income households
that would allow property taxes to be deferred through a lien on the participants property that does
not have to be paid until the time of a sale or unless the participant no longer qualifies for the
deferral. Like the program available for seniors and persons with disabilities, additional forms of tax
relief for a broader group of low- and moderate-income residents could be available to both
homeowners and renters.
Escalating costs associated with higher property taxes are often passed along to tenants of rental
properties, further exacerbating expensive rents. Tax rebates could take a few different forms to
property owners, such as a direct, ongoing rebate or competitive grant program to property owners in
exchange for offering or maintaining a portion of their rental units as affordable units. Nonprofit
entities (with federal 501(c)3 status), including nonprofit developers, are already eligible for a
property tax exemption under a recent change to City policy. The City will explore property tax relief
programs to support property owners who may not qualify for the existing exemption but may still
need help with their property taxes in exchange for keeping a percentage of units affordable to low-
income households on-site. This type of tool may be particularly effective to help property owners of
small-scale multifamily property owners (e.g., those with buildings with 420 units), who may not
have access to more conventional financing to help offset their operating costs.
Exploration of broader property tax relief programs should be conducted in close partnership with the
Department of Finance to understand potential impacts to the City budget and the influence that
such programs could have on other programs that use property taxes as a source of revenue,
including the Citys dedicated housing fund.
Key Actions:
Promote broader participation among eligible households in existing property tax relief
programs through partnerships with community-based organizations and social service
agencies, focusing on neighborhoods where assessed values have increased more than the
citywide average.
Explore additional forms of tax relief for low- and moderate-income residents struggling to keep
up with rising property values, such as expanding the existing senior and disabled property tax
relief program.
Explore property tax relief programs that support property owners of multi-unit buildings who
may not qualify for the existing nonprofit exemption to foster mixed-income developments.
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Explore a framework and methodology for

determining a preference in new housing National CasePromote
GOALS: Studies:Access to
for residents at risk of displacement. Portland, OR developed a preference
Housing, Stabilize
policy to help families Residents
stay in or
As part of the Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) return to neighborhoods in North and
planning process, the City, Denver Housing Authority, Northeast Portland where urban
and other jurisdictions throughout the region will renewal activity has occurred over
develop goals and priorities that address contributing
several decades. Under the policy,
factors to racial and ethnic segregation and other fair
housing issues and support racial equity. As part of residents are given preference in new
this process, the City and its partners will look at affordable housing if they are at risk
existing concentrations of poverty and racial and of displacement and additional points
ethnic minority groups to develop strategies aimed at if the residents ancestors had
promoting more inclusive and equitable communities. previously been displacement from
the same neighborhoods.
As part of the development of Housing an Inclusive
Denver, the City examined existing data from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development on the location of racially and ethnically
concentrated areas of poverty or R/ECAPs throughout Denver. These areas are identified at a
Census-tract level. This plan examined the relationship of R/ECAPs as part of its broader analysis of
neighborhood conditions; based on this analysis, most R/ECAPs are in Type 1 neighborhoods. This
plan aims to promote inclusive communities throughout Denver by preserving affordability in
vulnerable neighborhoods and promoting development of new affordable housing in high opportunity
areas. The AFH planning process will build upon the work of this plan to promote communities of
opportunity and deconcentrate poverty, while supporting cultural diversity and inclusion.
With dramatically increasing housing costs that threaten to displace low- and moderate-income
families, especially communities of color, the strategies outlined in this plan are integral for Denver
to remain a diverse and thriving city. Peer cities such as Portland and San Francisco have developed
policy tools that provide a preference for residents that have been displaced or are at-risk of being
displaced from the city in new affordable units. These policies aim to help families impacted by
voluntary or involuntary displacement stay in the city or return if they have already been displaced.
The City and its partners may explore a policy in Denver that provides preference in new affordable
housing for residents that have been or are at-risk of displacement. As part of the exploration of this
policy approach, the City and its partners should ensure that any proposed framework and
methodology to develop and apply a preference for new projects does not have unintended negative
impacts on protected classes under the Fair Housing Act. Protected classes under the Fair Housing
Act include race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status.
The City and its partners should also take steps to integrate community participation of ongoing
stewardship efforts for affordable housing when exploring models such as a land trust that could
help preserve affordability in vulnerable neighborhoods. More information about land trust models
can be found in Section 5.
Key Actions:
Leverage data collected from the Assessment of Fair Housing plan to understand existing
demographic characteristics of Denver neighborhoods over time, including concentrations of
racial and ethnic minorities, to promote policies that embrace cultural diversity and promote
access to opportunity.
Page | 33
Explore framework and methodologies used to develop and implement preference policies in
peer cities, evaluating whether and how a preference policy based on economic displacement
could be implemented in Denver.
Enhance the existing State Low Income Housing Tax

Credit.
GOAL: Create Affordability
In 2014, Colorados General Assembly adopted legislation to
develop a State Low Income Housing Tax Credit that was intended
to enhance existing federal tax credits administered by the
Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA). The initial purpose
of the tax credits was to support development of rental housing units as part of state recovery efforts
from the 2013 floods, and also to jump start the 4% federal LIHTC program across the state. The tax
credits, which provide funding in the form of private sector investment equity to for-profit and
nonprofit developers of affordable rental housing, have supported the creation or preservation of
1,124 affordable units in Denver.
While the state tax credits have been extended by the Colorado Legislature until 2019, the program
is set to sunset at the end of that calendar year. The City and its partners should back an extension
of the existing state tax credit program beyond 2019 to support the development and preservation of
affordable rental housing. In addition to supporting an extension of the existing state housing tax
credit, the City and its partners should explore additional tools to expand and enhance the state tax
credit program to support projects in local jurisdictions that can provide reimbursement of the
expansion to the state. An analysis of potential tools to enhance the state tax credit should be
conducted in close partnership with Denvers Department of Finance, the Colorado Housing and
Finance Authority, and the Colorado Division of Housing.
Key Actions:
Support an extension of the existing state tax credit program beyond the current sunset in
2019 to facilitate development and preservation of affordable rental housing in Colorado.
Explore additional tools to expand and enhance the State Low Income Housing Tax Credit to
support rental housing projects in Denver, and other local jurisdictions, in close partnership
with the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Colorado Division of Housing.
Page | 34
Section 5. Strategic Use of Land to Support Affordable

Housing
During the development of this plan, one issue was consistently identified by stakeholders across
each segment of the housing continuum: the rising cost and limited availability of land for affordable
and mixed-income development. Strategic use of publicly owned property and acquisition of land for
future development are essential elements of Denvers long-term housing pipeline and an important
tool to foster mixed-income neighborhoods, preserve affordability in vulnerable neighborhoods, and
introduce affordability to areas with strong economic opportunities.
Addressing the challenge of accessing land for future housing development will require an approach
focused on the following strategies: 1) leverage publicly owned land for affordable and mixed-income
housing, 2) facilitate land acquisition through direct investment of City resources alongside existing
tools such as the Regional Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Fund, and 3) exploring the use of
new tools that can promote the creation and preservation of affordable housing, including land trusts
as a tool to provide long-term affordability throughout Denver communities.
Leverage publicly owned land for affordable housing

development. GOALS: Create Affordability,
The City took an important step forward with Mayor Hancocks
2016 Executive Order on City-Owned Land and Leased Real-Estate
(Executive Order 100). The executive order serves as the primary
policy tool to inform the use of City-owned property, including how
the City acquires additional properties and disposes of the property that it already owns. In terms of
affordable housing, Mayor Hancocks order directs the Division of Real Estate (within the Finance
Department) to coordinate with Community Planning Development and Office of Economic
Development staff to evaluate the appropriateness of affordable housing when disposing of city-
owned property. The site-level analysis for these opportunities include considerations like proximity
to transit and other neighborhood indicators.xiv
While Executive Order 100 provides a path for identifying and prioritizing affordable housing when
disposing of property, the City and its partners should take proactive steps to conduct a
comprehensive analysis of the citys current inventory of land and its suitability for affordable
housing development. An initial dataset of vacant and underutilized parcels was developed based on
information available through the Assessors Office (also within the Finance Department) as part of
the development of this plan. Additional steps are needed to refine the data and determine
suitability for housing, including comparing the existing dataset to other data sources across City
agencies and removing undevelopable parcels of land that are too narrow or include setback
limitations. The updated dataset should be evaluated based on individual parcels proximity to
transit and other neighborhood indicators as outlined in this plan to identify priority opportunities for
future housing development.
Recognizing that housing is an important component of Denvers economic vitality, workforce

recruitment, and transit-oriented development, the City and its partners should also take proactive
steps to develop partnerships with other public or quasi-public landholders to prioritize affordable
and mixed-income housing on existing vacant or underutilized parcels currently owned by these
entities. Public partners such as the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the Denver Housing
Authority (DHA), and Denver Public Schools (DPS) own parcels of that could be developed to include
Page | 35
affordable housing, including in

locations that align with the priorities NATIONAL CASE STUDIES:
outlined in this plan, for example near
Arlington County, VA developed a partnership with
transit or job centers.
the Arlington Public School District called the
The City and its partners should Community Facilities Study to identify specific
explore formal partnerships with public county-owned or district-owned sites potentially
and quasi-public agencies to prioritize suitable for affordable housing development or
and set specific standards for use of other community facilities.
public land for affordable housing.
With the identification of key parcels Together, county and school district leaders are
that could be prioritized for affordable developing coordinated processes and priority
housing development, the City should locations for siting housing and other community
work across public and quasi-public facilities on publicly owned land.
partners to develop a specific vision
for the site, target income levels,
populations, and tenure served by the development, as well as supportive services or programming
as needed. As part of the implementation of Executive Order 100 and partnerships with public and
quasi-public partners, the City should take steps to develop a clear and consistent process for
soliciting development proposals to execute the specific vision for housing or mixed-income
development on publicly owned parcels.
An analysis of the suitability and specific development vision for public or quasi-public owned sites
should be combined with strategies and tools outlined in this plan to promote long-term affordability
and support low- and moderate-income households across housing continuum.
Key Actions:
Explore formal partnerships with public and quasi-public agencies to prioritize and set specific
standards for use of publicly owned land for affordable housing.
Evaluate the suitability of city owned land and land owned by public or quasi-public partners for
affordable housing development per factors such as its proximity to transit and other
neighborhood indicators as outlined in this plan.
Develop specific visioning and procurement processes to identify development partners to
build affordable and mixed-income housing on public and quasi-publicly owned land.
Facilitate acquisition of land directly and through

partners for housing development. GOALS: Create Affordability,
The City and its partners also have programs and funding resources
that can be used for the direct acquisition of properties, or in
partnership with developers interested in building affordable or
mixed-income housing. City resources should be used to enhance
existing tools such as the Regional Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Fundwhich was updated in
2015 in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners local Denver office to acquire land near
transit throughout the Metro Regionand other Community Development Financial Institutions such
as the Mile High Community Loan Fund. Even with current tools, land prices in Denver continue to
rise, and the City and its partners will explore ways to strengthen and enhance existing resources
available for land acquisition.
Page | 36
The City has also taken steps over the last several
National Case Studies: years to be more proactive in acquiring land
directly for affordable and mixed-income housing
In New York City, land owned by the
development. These direct acquisitions have been
public housing authority was leased to in proximity to current and future transit corridors,
build 500 apartments for low-income and have been aimed at preserving affordability in
households on underutilized sites. The vulnerable neighborhoods. With a consideration
land lease, which the housing authority for leveraging limited resources where possible
oversees for the three buildings, with other existing land acquisition tools, the City
guarantees affordability for at least a should continue to directly acquire land in
vulnerable neighborhoods to preserve
period of 60 years under the agreement. opportunities to develop affordable and mixed-
income housing, but should also focus on
acquiring land in proximity to high performing schools
and job centers to promote greater access to opportunity throughout Denver.
Key Actions:
Leverage existing City resources with current tools such as the Regional TOD Fund and
Community Development Financial Institutions to fund land acquisition for future affordable
and mixed-income housing development.
Directly acquire land in vulnerable neighborhoods to preserve opportunities to develop
affordable and mixed-income housing and in proximity to high performing schools and job
centers to promote greater access to opportunity throughout Denver.
Explore tools to promote long-term affordability of

housing, including land trusts, throughout Denver GOALS: Create Affordability,
communities. Preserve Affordability,
Stabilize Residents
As part of a broader cross-cutting strategy to promote long-term
affordability for housing investments, the City and its partners
should consider mechanisms such as a citywide land trust model,
to ensure housing remains affordable for low and moderate-
income families for decades to come. Land trusts are typically used to ensure long-term affordability
by enabling eligible households or partners to own the property on a site and lease the land
underneath it from a management entity. By taking the cost of the land out of the real estate
transaction, homes in a land trust can also be more affordable than those on the market.
Denver has funded partners such as the Colorado Community Land Trust and the Urban Land
Conservancy who oversee a land trust for primarily new construction of affordable housing, but the
City should explore how land trusts can also be used as a tool to preserve affordability in vulnerable
neighborhoods, including evaluating financial feasibility models for the upfront and ongoing cost to
develop the program and finance acquisition. Community participation in the ongoing stewardship
should be a core component of the City and its partners exploration of a land trust model in Denver.
Some peer cities have also used a land lease model to ensure long-term affordability where the City
maintains control of publicly owned or directly acquired land, and leases the land to an owner of the
rental or for-sale property on it.
The City and its partners should explore other policy tools for long-term affordability of publicly owned
or directly acquired parcels, such as a land-lease.
Page | 37
Key aAtions:
Explore land trusts as a tool to preserve affordability citywide and in vulnerable neighborhoods,
including evaluating factors such as the upfront cost to invest in unit acquisition, ongoing cost
of program administration, length of affordability, and community stewardship.
Explore other policy tools that promote long-term affordability when land is directly acquired or
used for affordable or mixed-income housing development, such as through a land-lease.
Page | 38
Section 6. Housing for Residents Experiencing Homelessness

On any given night, more than 3,336 Denver residents have no place to call home, including more
than 200 families with children, nearly 500 veterans, and more than 200 unaccompanied youth.xv
Additionally, about 60% of residents experiencing homelessness are a part of Denvers local
workforce.
As a division of the Department of Human Services, Denvers Road Home, in partnership with the
Division of Housing in the Office of Economic Development and the Denver Housing Authority,
prevented or ended homelessness for nearly 7,000 people, including more than 1,200 seniors and
families, and made nearly 4,000 additional housing units available to those at risk or experiencing
homelessness between 2005 and 2015.
Nonprofit and faith-based service providers operate a network of temporary and supportive housing,
health services and job training opportunities for those experiencing homelessness in Denver. Today,
the City is working alongside these partners to build on the successes of previous efforts and to
better integrate and align resources for housing, health services and workforce training within the
homeless delivery system. A reliable supply
of affordable rental housing and rental
assistance are critical to housing Denvers RISK OF HOMELESSNESS
homeless population. Housing an Inclusive
Denver includes housing interventions for As defined by HUD, individuals or families
households currently without homes as well qualify as at risk of homelessness if they meet
as those households at risk of becoming the following threshold criteria:
homeless in Denver.
a) The individual or family has income below
Homeless service providers within Denver 30% of AMI; and
agree that each persons experience with b) The individual or family has insufficient
homelessness is unique and requires a resources immediately available to retain
tailored approach to housing, services, and housing stability
other supportsrather than a one-size-fits-
all solution. A brief analysis of the current and if they exhibit one or more of the following
challenges and opportunities of the system risk factors:
led the development of priority strategies
under two key goals: integrate programs for 1) Has moved frequently because of economic
the unhoused into the Citys initiatives to reasons;
expand housing options; and expand the 2) Is living in the home of another because of
tools for financing operating subsidies to economic hardship;
provide on-site health and job services. 3) Has been notified that their right to occupy
their current housing or living situation will
To meet the goal of adding new housing be terminated;
inventory for the lowest incomes, the 4) Lives in a hotel or motel;
greatest area of need is for permanent 5) Lives in severely overcrowded housing;
housing solutions with integrated services, 6) Is exiting an institution;
permanent supportive housing (PSH) and 7) Otherwise lives in housing that has
rapid rehousing solutions (RRS). PSH, RRS characteristics associated with instability
and other permanent housing interventions and an increased risk of homelessness.
are shown to lead to higher levels of
housing stability. Recognizing that
temporary housing solutions, like emergency shelters, are necessary to serve all those experiencing
Page | 39
homelessness, this Plan focuses on expanding investments in permanent housing solutions to

achieve stronger, more stable, longer-term outcomes for those living without homes.
A small but significant portion of households entering homelessness are doing so after most recently
living with friends and/or family, presenting the opportunity for Denver to implement diversion
strategies as an intervention point. Successful diversion strategies can prevent homelessness for
people entering temporary housing services, like shelter, by helping them identify immediate
alternative housing arrangements, and if necessary, connecting them with services and financial
assistance to help them return to permanent housing.xvi
The City of Denver should work with its nonprofit and faith-based service providers to take a dual
approach to strengthening the pipeline of permanent and other supportive housing options and
providing greater integration of housing, health services and job training opportunities for residents
experiencing homelessness. This Plan recommends adding resources to the Citys existing programs
to create more permanent housing options for people without homes and leveraging resources with
private investments and community partners to expand housing interventions that meet unique
client needs.
Addressing the housing and service needs of residents experiencing homelessness will require a
combination of strategies over the next five years, including efforts to 1) expand investments in
housing options for residents experiencing homelessness and make those options available to
shelter providers, 2) build housing capacity through policy and funding alignment, and 3) prioritize
supportive services gap funding for approved supportive housing projects.
Expand investments in housing options for residents

experiencing homelessness and integrate providers GOALS: Create Affordability,
across the housing continuum. Promote Access to Housing
To approach housing across the continuum from homelessness to

homeownership, the City will better connect housing options to
shelter providers to transition more people from to homelessness
to housing, divert more people away from shelters to rapid rehousing programs, and through the
Denver Street Outreach Collaborative continue to transition people who are not accessing shelters to
housing options.
A key element to this strategy is prioritizing the households with the highest level of need for the right
housing intervention to reduce demand on the front-end of the system. For example, when
households that need PSH can access a unit, rather than being placed into a RRS unit that could be
used for a household able to resolve their homelessness more quickly, the City and its partners are
better able to provide the right service at the right time to meet individual needs.
To effectively target housing resources, Denver needs to continue its efforts alongside the Metro
Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI), the regional Continuum of Care entity, to establish a well-
designed regional Coordinated Entry Systems (CES). The CES will identify, assess and prioritize
homeless individuals and families for housing and services based on vulnerability and severity of
need. This ensures that people who need assistance the most can receive it in a timely manner.
MDHI, the Denvers Road Home Division of DHS, and homeless service providers across the region
have worked together over the past four years to establish policies and procedures for their CES,
OneHome, and identify access points to house Denvers most vulnerable households.
Page | 40
Key Actions:
Fully implement and expand the Coordinated Entry Systems (CES) outside of Continuum of
Care funded projects. CES simplifies the process by which residents experiencing
homelessness access housing resources and helps to ensure the right housing intervention is
paired with the most appropriate participant. This data-driven process allows communities to
provide access to housing resources, to assess individuals or family who enters the homeless
response system for their vulnerabilities and needs, to assign housing interventions based on
client need, and to create a framework of accountability.
Develop and align policies with MDHI, the organization currently overseeing OneHome, to
ensure that City housing resources dedicated to serve residents experiencing homelessness
are targeted appropriately.
Employ shelter diversion strategies when people enter the system to help them identify
immediate alternate housing arrangements. This could include connections to services or
financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing quickly. This frees space in
temporary housing shelters for those who do not have alternative options.
Build housing capacity through policy and funding

alignment. GOALS: Create Affordability,
Denver has already taken steps to build housing capacity and
leverage new resources for supportive housing development and
services. In 2016 and 2017, the City invested in the Supportive
Housing Toolkit alongside the Colorado Housing and Finance
Authority and the State of Colorado to provide an intensive finance and development workshop for
service providers interested in creating permanent supportive housing in Colorado. Several workshop
participants have already received tax credits and are under construction or in the immediate
housing pipeline, with some others continuing to look for land acquisition opportunities in Denver.
In addition to these efforts to enhance the ongoing supportive housing pipeline, the City and its
partners developed an innovative approach to supportive service provision that is receiving national
recognition for its pay-for-success approach. This Social Impact Bond (SIB) Initiative is helping to
target supportive housing and services to chronically homeless individuals who also struggle with
mental health and substance abuse issues. The City and its partners should evaluate the success of
this pilot program and explore opportunities to expand the SIB program throughout Denver.
To harness resources and integrate investments across the housing continuum, the City and its
partners can leverage and align more resources to develop more supportive housing. The City and its
partners should collect and analyze the best practices for underwriting federal, state and local
programs to connect these resources to housing options.
Key Actions:
Develop criteria for providing operating subsidies from the dedicated affordable housing fund
to create new supportive housing units.
Leverage existing, funding streams for supportive housing such as Medicaid, Medicare, and
TANF to create more streams of funding for on-site supportive services and operating services.
Continue to implement and evaluate the success of the Social Impact Bond program and
explore opportunities to expand the supportive service tool throughout Denver.
Evaluate the performance of local projects (working with local partners also undertaking
evaluation efforts, such as MDHI) to inform which opportunities resolve episodes of
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homelessness more quickly and expand the ability to serve additional households, as well as
to increase rates of housing placement and stability.
Complete a comprehensive financial modeling analysis that reviews costs, sources, and uses
of the resources necessary for the creation of supportive housing including: capital, operating,
rental assistance, and services. This analysis will highlight how resources can be used together
effectively as well as provides more detail as to where the gaps in funding resources exists.
Prioritize supportive services gap funding for

approved supportive housing projects. GOALS: Promote Access to
Housing
As part of a strategy aimed at creating and preserving quality
supportive housing projects, the City and its partners should build a
supportive serving funding program. This supportive service funding
program should include a robust framework to evaluate prospective
funding opportunities. This framework will need to include a project review process to ensure that
the services provider is implementing the supportive housing model such that expected outcomes
will be achieved. The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) has established a framework to
review a projects fidelity according to the supportive housing model known as Dimensions of
Quality Supportive Housing,xvii which can be used as a guide to establish project review and award
approval criteria as well tools to monitor ongoing project performance.
Key Actions:
Prioritize funding for existing PSH projects, or those anticipated to come online in the next 12-
24 months that do not have adequate services funding resources to deliver the intensive
services needed to ensure high levels of housing stability for formerly homeless tenants.
Establish a framework for how to review, rank, and award critical services funding to supportive
housing projects in the pipeline.
Establish a common outcomes framework across programs to evaluate their effectiveness.
Recommendations for outcomes-tracking on the effectiveness of supportive housing include:
o Annual rate of housing stability in project
o Returns to homelessness
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Section 7. Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing

Rental housing development has dramatically outpaced for-sale home development in recent years,
with more than 5,600 units built since 2010. Most the product built in the rental market in Denver in
the last several years, like other major cities, are luxury units with prices that are far beyond reach
for even Denvers middle-income earners. Neighborhoods with access to the light rail and near jobs
in Downtown Denver command some of the Citys highest rents. Low-income renters are at risk of
being displaced from their homes, with few affordable options available within the City. As one survey
respondent put it, I don't believe we can afford anything else in Denver or near suburbs, so we are
stuck.
Currently, Denver has approximately 140,000 total rental unitsxviii in the citys existing stock,
including market rate and affordable units. Approximately 21,000 of these units have a restriction
that keeps the unit affordable, or about 15% of the citys total rental housing stock. When the city,
state, or federal government invests in affordable housing, an income-restriction is placed on the
property to keep the price affordable for a low or moderate-income family for a specific time, usually
between 20 to 30 years. In Denver, more than 2,200 affordable homes are at risk of becoming
unaffordable over the next five years if the existing income-restrictions expire and owners can rent
the units at market rate prices. The city could lose its existing affordable housing stock if income-
restrictions expire, and families living in these affordable units are also at risk of displacement if the
building converts to market rate pricing that is unaffordable to existing families.
Likewise, renters who live in unsubsidized affordable housing (housing that is affordable for low and
moderate-income families but does not have an income-restriction) are vulnerable to rent increases
that could become unaffordable and threaten to displace existing tenants. Feedback collected
through the community engagement process for this plan indicated that many renters are living on
month-to-month leases, that living conditions in some unsubsidized properties are substandard, and
that evictions are becoming increasingly prevalent. While Colorado has made some changes at a
state level to enhance notice to residents when they are required to vacate a rental property, many
low and moderate-income families that receive such a notice are left with limited options.
While preservation of the citys existing affordable housing is a key strategy to stabilize renters,
especially in neighborhoods of the city vulnerable to displacement, this report estimates that the City
has a gap of nearly 15,500 units for extremely low-income renters (renters with household income at
or below 30% of area median income). Higher income households occupying these rental units
further exacerbate the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households and increases
the gap among extremely low-income households to approximately 21,000 units, and 26,000 units
among very low-income households.xix
Building new affordable rental housing can help provide expanded options for the low and moderate-
income families across Denver that are currently cost-burdened or living without stable homes.
Creating new affordable rental housing can also be a path to introducing a mix of housing options
throughout the city, especially in opportunity-rich neighborhoods with access to transit, high-
performing schools and job centers.
The City will pursue a dual rental strategy focused on 1) preserving the affordability of existing rental
housing, and 2) increasing the production of new affordable and workforce rental housing. The
following priority investment strategies were developed and informed by the Affordable and
Workforce Rental Housing focus group convened during the planning process, and reflect community
feedback collected from surveys and public meetings. See Section 9 for more detailed
implementation information.
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Preserve existing income-restricted affordable rental

housing in vulnerable neighborhoods and near GOALS: Preserve
transit. Affordability, Stabilize
Residents
Income-restricted housing plays a vital role in Denvers affordable
housing supply. Developments with income-restricted units serve
families, seniors, and persons with special needs, and many of
these properties have project-based rental assistance contracts
that make units affordable to households at or below 30% AMI. Their affordability provisions ensure
predictable housing costs for residents relative to their incomes, even as market conditions change.
The City and its partners have taken several steps in the last several years to enhance efforts to
preserve existing income-restricted housing stock. In 2015, City Council approved updates to the
Preservation Ordinance to provide enhanced notice requirements when owners of a property with an
existing income-restriction plan to sell, expanding the number and type of projects that are captured
under the Ordinance and providing the City or its designee a right-of-first-refusal when a property
might be at risk of converting to market rate. Strategies aimed at strengthening the existing
Preservation Ordinance are outlined in Section 4.
In partnership with CHFA as the lead agency, the City is also part of the Housing Preservation
Network (HPN), where local, state and federal partners are coordinating across Colorado to preserve
existing affordable housing stock. As part of this partnership, the City and CHFA have developed an
inventory of income-restricted housing, identified
initial priority areas and property types for
preservation efforts, and conducted outreach to NATIONAL CASE STUDIES:
owners of existing income-restricted properties. Peer cities, such as San Francisco, have
developed bridge financing tools for
These efforts are part of the Citys effort to acquiring existing affordable housing,
become more proactive in pursuing preservation
strategies. The City provides financing for including both large-scale properties and
acquisition and rehabilitation of existing income- small-scale rental properties. Their
restricted properties, usually in partnership with Housing Accelerator Fund is a
4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) partnership between the City, local
administered by CHFA. These resources play a key foundations, private lending institutions,
role in extending the affordability of existing and local corporations. It aims to
income-restricted properties, but costs have
strategically acquire properties to prevent
escalated in recent years, especially for
prospective property acquisitions with affordability families and seniors from being priced
restrictions that are expiring soon. The City and its out of their homes or evicted while long-
HPN partners have identified a need for new, term city and state investments are
creative sources of bridge capital that can help assembled.
acquire affordable properties for long-term
preservation.
Key Actions:
Coordinate with Housing Preservation Network partners such as CHFA to leverage the existing
inventory of income-restricted properties to develop and maintain a list of priority preservation
projects based on expiring restrictions, income and population served, and proximity to transit.
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Pursue proactive strategies to preserve priority preservation projects through acquisition and
rehabilitation financing, leveraging 4% LITHCs, and other local incentives to promote long-term
affordability of existing affordable housing stock.
Develop a bridge finance tool that leverages public and private resources to strategically
acquire affordable properties at risk of converting to market rate pricing while long term
finance options can be assembled.
Income-restricted housing in Denver includes rental units financed through Section 8 and
the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, among other units owned by a variety of private and
nonprofit entities; public housing units owned by the Denver Housing Authority (DHA); and
for-sale units produced through local partners, such as Habitat for Humanity, Colorado
Community Land Trust, and Northeast Denver Housing Center (NDHC).
Total income-restricted units (rental & for-sale)

20,898 units
Public housing units (owned by DHA)
3,951 units
Income-restricted properties serving seniors
95 properties
Income-restricted properties serving persons with disabilities
25 properties
Income-restricted properties serving persons experiencing homelessness
24 properties
Income-restricted properties serving other special needs populations
43 properties
Income-restricted units with expiring restrictions through 2022
2,288 total rental units
SOURCE: Denver Office of Economic Development Income-Restricted Database, May
2017; Housing Preservation Network, 2017
Preserve affordability of unsubsidized large-scale

affordable rental properties. GOALS: Preserve
Affordability, Stabilize
Given the citys affordable housing gap for low and moderate- Residents
income households, the need to secure affordable rental housing
options for these households is paramount, and one of the most
efficient ways to secure affordable rental housing is to improve and
preserve existing buildings. Denver has more than 130
unsubsidized large-scale affordable rental properties with more than 50 units that have rents at or
below the Fair Market Rent. A majority (70%) of these unsubsidized properties are in areas of the city
that are vulnerable to displacement. As Map 7.2 illustrates, there are clusters of unsubsidized large
scale affordable rental properties located near transit stations throughout the city.
While the Citys financing tools for acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable properties can be used
for unsubsidized affordable housing, a limited number of projects have accessed city resources for
this purpose in recent years. The City and its partners should pursue a more proactive approach to
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identifying, acquiring, and rehabilitating existing unsubsidized large-scale rental properties. Like
acquisition and rehabilitation of income-restricted properties, the Citys financing tools for acquisition
and rehabilitation could be leveraged with 4% LIHTCs to preserve these properties long-term.
Another local tool that could be leveraged as part of a financing package for preservation of existing
affordable housing is the Citys Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program where eligible
participants receive capital to finance eligible improvements that promote energy efficiency,
renewable energy and water conservation improvements. While PACE investments alone do not
come with a long-term income-restriction, the tool could be combined with other local incentives to
secure affordability.
Key Actions:
Develop and maintain an inventory of unsubsidized large-scale affordable housing projects in
Denver.
Educate existing owners about the creative finance tools available, including recently
adopted PACE financing and other acquisition or rehabilitation resources.
Support development partners to directly acquire and preserve affordability of existing
unsubsidized large-scale affordable housing stock, utilizing new tools that provide bridge
financing, City financing, and 4% LIHTCs.
Preserve affordability of unsubsidized small-scale

affordable rental properties. GOALS: Preserve
While there are thousands of existing units in unsubsidized large- Residents
scale affordable rental properties across the city (many of them
already housing low and moderate-income residents), many more
families live in small or medium-scale affordable rental properties:
a majority (78%) of the citys multi-family rental housing stock is
between 2-49 units. Data sources that track the location, price, and ownership information of large-
scale multi-family properties are more established, so determining this information for small and
medium-scale rental housing is challenging.
Strategies to explore a rental registry as outlined in Section 4 of this plan could help provide more
comprehensive data on the citys existing small-scale affordable housing.
The current tools available for the preservation of unsubsidized small-scale affordable rental
properties are limited in Denver. Leveraging 4% LIHTCs becomes more difficult at this scale due to
the smaller number of units unless developers can manage a scattered site portfolio of several small
developments. While challenges exist, some peer cities have developed special programs to address
small-scale rental stock. For example, San Franciscos Small Site Acquisition Program funds
acquisition and rehabilitation of multi-family rental buildings with 5-35 units. Under this program,
properties where immediate risk of eviction of existing tenants due to a sale of the building are given
priority for acquisition and rehabilitation resources.
Key Actions:
Explore a package of finance tools to incent existing owners to preserve small-scale
properties, including resources for rehabilitation and potential tax relief.
Explore development of a finance tool that leverages public and private resources to
strategically acquire small-scale unsubsidized rental housing, using San Franciscos Small
Site Acquisition Program as a model.
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Promote programs that help families stay in their

existing rental housing through comprehensive GOAL: Stabilize Residents
eviction assistance.
While investment into preserving existing income-restricted and
unsubsidized housing stock can ensure long-term affordability for
generations to come, short-term resources that are available to stabilize a renter in their existing
home can help mitigate displacement and prevent a resident from becoming homeless.
The City has already taken steps to support renters experiencing a housing crisis by connecting
rental assistance programs across the continuum of eviction assistance, especially in neighborhoods
at risk of gentrification. These steps include supporting renters experiencing a housing crisis such as
a notice of rent increase or sudden loss of income by providing direct financial assistance to help the
family stabilize, with resources aimed at preventing eviction.
The City also funds programs aimed at providing tenant and landlord counseling, aimed at educating
residents about their rights and obligations under Colorado Law. Recent efforts to educate residents
on their legal rights as tenants include development of a Comprehensive Guide for Landlords and
Tenants with information about lease provisions, circumstances of lease termination, and the rights
during an eviction. With a focus on supporting residents who are experiencing an eviction, the
Department of Human Services has also placed outreach workers in eviction court to provide direct
assistance and resource information for residents facing an eviction.
Key Actions:
Continue to support direct financing assistance programs aimed at stabilizing families
experiencing a housing crisis across the eviction spectrum and in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Continue collaborative efforts with public and private partners to educate residents in
vulnerable neighborhoods about their rights as tenants.
Promote development of new affordable, mixed-

income and mixed-use rental housing. GOALS: Create Affordability,
Given the gap in existing affordable options for low and moderate-
income families in Denver, the City will focus on providing choices
along the housing continuum via new affordable and mixed-income
development. This includes creating new housing for residents
experiencing homelessness requiring supportive services, low-
income residents living on a fixed-income, and missing middle housing options for families and
individuals.
The City provides financing for development of new affordable units, typically alongside Low Income
Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) administered by CHFA. While 9% LIHTCs are highly competitive, the
Colorado state tax credit has been a key tool in jump starting the non-competitive 4% LIHTCs across
the state. Opportunities to extend and enhance the state tax credit are outlined in Section 4.
The need for new affordable rental housing is great across Denver, and the City will continue to
support development projects across all neighborhood types, but new development can act as a tool
to bring affordability to areas near transit, job centers, and with high-performing schools. New
development of affordable rental housing also provides an opportunity to address the unique
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challenges and provide housing for special populations such as seniors, people with disabilities, or
residents experiencing homelessness. New construction can also provide opportunities to introduce
unique design elements to serve specific populations, such as live-work units for artists.
And as demand for housing increases, the need for services increasesincluding transit access,
retail and business services, as well as community facilities such as child care or outpatient health
care. Mixed-use developments can bring life to neighborhoods lacking critical amenities such as
grocery stores, incubator or worker space, or retail and increase access to opportunity throughout
Denver neighborhoods.
Key Actions:
Explore finance mechanisms to better support mixed-income development that includes
missing middle housing products and related financing tools, including gap financing, bridge
financing, and loan guarantees.
Explore ways that the Citys zoning code and financial mechanisms can support live-work units
for artists, among other occupations, through targeted mixed-use developments and worker
space.
Expand partnerships with local employers to contribute to a housing fund to expand rental
workforce housing.
Promote programs that help families access

affordable rental housing. GOAL: Promote Access to
Housing
In 2016, more than 5,600 new rental units came online, a record
high, and in 2017 over 2,000 more will be added. While the citys
population has grown by over 100,000 over the last several years
and the new rental development is helping to accommodate this
surge in new residents, many new buildings throughout the city have above average vacancy rates,
leaving hundreds of existing units empty. Elsewhere, low and moderate-income families are
searching for affordable options in Denver and finding limited available options. Partnership with
these market rate owners can help buy down the cost of vacant units to a price point that is
affordable for working families to help connect residents searching for housing options with existing
vacant units.
The City has already taken steps to develop a Lower Income Voucher Equity (LIVE) Denver program
aimed at connecting working families with vacant units, focusing on bringing those new affordable
opportunities into high opportunity areas with access to transit, job centers and high-performing
schools. The LIVE Denver program is being developed in partnership with the Denver Housing
Authority and can also act as a tool to connect residents with existing Housing Choice Vouchers
(many of whom are struggling to find landlords that will accept HUDs Fair Market Rents due to rising
market costs) to existing vacant units. The LIVE Denver program is an innovative opportunity to pilot
a tool for developing mixed-income communities.
The City also provides direct financial assistance to residents to access existing housing units
through the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (TBRA). These resources act as a rapid re-
housing tool to connect residents experiencing homelessness to bridge housing solutions for a
period of 6-24 months. Additional investment strategies related to serving residents experiencing
homelessness are outlined in Section 6. Assessment of TBRA as a tool for rapid re-housing of
residents experiencing homelessness should be considered as part of the strategy to right size
interventions appropriate for the individual household.
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As part of its homelessness strategies, the City will employ shelter diversion strategies when people
enter the system to help them identify immediate alternate housing arrangements. This could
include connections to services or financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing
quickly. This will also limit the inflow of clients who enter the system in the first place and make
more space available for those who do not have alternative options.
Key Actions:
Implement and evaluate success of a proposed LIVE Denver program to buy down affordability
of existing vacant rental units in high-opportunity areas of the city.
Assess existing Tenant Based Rental Assistance investment as part of the continuum of
financial assistance to help residents experiencing homelessness return to permanent
housing, including how the tool can prioritize individuals with the greatest need from the
Coordinated Entry System.
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Section 8. Attainable Homeownership

Like other high cost cities, low and moderate-income homeowners in Denver face a range of unique
challenges with rising property values and upkeep associated with older homes that threatens to
displace long-time neighborhood residents. Nearly 35,000 homeowners across the city are living in
unaffordable situations and paying too much of their income on housing costs, including about
11,000 seniors.xx Many of these homeowners live in areas where property values increased
significantly between 2015 and 2017 property assessment cycles.
But a significant barrier to homeownership is the current cost of for-sale homes. For-sale home
values have increased by 30% since 2015, and residents interested in achieving homeownership are
finding themselves priced out of the city, even in areas that have had historically more affordable
options. Many comments in the online survey reinforced this finding, with residents noting that their
housing was only affordable because I bought my house in 1991. We could not afford to purchase a
comparable home in our neighborhood today, or that our same home would be 50% [more] if we
tried to buy it now.
The City and its partners aim to support existing homeowners through several repair and relief
programs, but is also focused on connecting low and moderate-income residents with wealth
building potential through homeownership. While homeownership plays a key role in promoting
economic mobility and opportunity for residents through wealth building, the City is also focused on
the long-term affordability of existing for-sale housing stock and will explore strategies aimed at
promoting long-term affordability such as through land trusts.
Promote programs that help families maintain their

existing homes. GOAL: Stabilize Residents
Nearly half of all cost-burdened homeowners live in vulnerable

neighborhoods throughout the city. Property values are rising in
these areas, and many families are struggling to keep up with the
rising costs of taxes and the cost of critical home repairs. Partners like the Denver Urban Renewal
Authority administer programs that offer rehabilitation resources for existing low and moderate-
income homeowners, including the Single-Family Rehabilitation program, the Emergency Home
Repair program, and the Rental Homeowner Access Modification program. These programs provide
emergency home repair, accessibility modifications and substantial rehabilitation services for seniors
and other low-income households to prevent displacement. The City and its partners should continue
to support these programs, and target resources to serve families in neighborhoods with the highest
home price appreciations where low and moderate-income residents are at risk of displacement.
With rising home values, the City and its partners should also work to promote existing property tax
relief programs, focusing on reaching residents living on a fixed income, including seniors and those
with a disability, in vulnerable neighborhoods. Property tax relief strategies are discussed in more
detail in Section 4, including exploration of property tax relief programs that are more broadly aimed
at stabilizing low-income homeowners.
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While a limited proportion of parcels citywide are

NATIONAL CASE STUDIES: zoned appropriately and have the minimum lot size
necessary to build an accessory dwelling unit or
Portland, OR has developed an Accessory
ADU, some low- and moderate-income
Dwelling Unit Program aimed at helping homeowners in vulnerable neighborhoods in West
low and moderate-income homeowners Denver and North Denver have the appropriate
build wealth and stay in their zoning and lot sizes to build such additional units.
communities. The City offers low cost Across the country and in a limited number of
capital for ADU construction, connects circumstances in Denver, development of ADUs
homeowners with qualified contractors in have been used as a tool to introduce new
affordable rental stock into predominantly single-
the area, has developed a training family neighborhoods. But ADUs can also provide a
curriculum for homeowners on becoming wealth-building tool (due to the rental income
a landlord, and is working to provide received over time) and support intergenerational
additional ongoing counseling for households. Recognizing the potential for ADUs to
homeowners on the implications of the stabilize low and moderate-income families at risk
new rental incomesuch as increased of becoming displaced from their existing homes
due to rising prices, the City and partners are
property taxes, requirements to register
developing programs aimed at providing financial
as a local business, and how to file rental tools, streamlined permitting, and property
income on federal income taxes. management support to promote development of
ADUs.
Alongside programs that focus on maintaining the physical structure and affordability for existing
homeowners, a key component of homeownership success is ongoing financial assistance. The City
and its partners should continue to promote financial literacy programs such as ongoing budget and
credit counseling through nonprofit partners, banking institutions, and Denvers Financial
Empowerment Centers.
Key Actions:
Target existing homeowner rehabilitation programs to low and moderate-income homeowners
in vulnerable neighborhoods throughout the city, such as the Denver Urban Renewal
Authoritys Single-Family Rehab and Emergency Home Repair programs.
Promote ongoing education for existing homeowners through financial literacy, focusing on
outreach to low and moderate-income residents in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Promote development of accessory dwelling units as a wealth building tool for low and
moderate-income homeowners in vulnerable neighborhoods and to support intergenerational
households.
Promote development of new affordable and mixed-

income homeownership stock. GOALS: Create Affordability,
One tool that some cities across the country use to develop
affordable and mixed-income for-sale housing is inclusionary
zoning or an inclusionary housing ordinance. Denver originally
adopted an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) in 2002,
requiring for-sale developers building more than 30 units to set aside 10% as affordable to
moderate-income families. While the ordinance was modified several times since its adoption, the
ordinance created a limited number of affordable homes, with many developers opting to pay cash-
in-lieu of construction. The vast majority of affordable homes constructed were through large scale
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development agreements negotiated based on the sale of City-owned land (for example, from the
former Stapleton airport) or with a large single developer (for example, Green Valley Ranch).
In 2016, the City replaced the IHO with a housing linkage fee that is more broadly applicable to
new residential and commercial development. The housing linkage fee is structured in some ways as
a reverse of the IHO, where developers of new residential and commercial buildings are required to
pay a per square foot fee, but have the option to build affordable units instead. Strategies aimed at
developing a package of incentives that encourage development of affordable units onsite are
outlined in Section 4.
While the transition to a more broadly applicable housing linkage fee will provide new funding for the
development and preservation of affordable housing, new and creative tools to create mixed-income
homeownership stock should be explored. Some communities are supporting mixed-income
condominiums through the development of cohousing where individual units are grouped together in
a single building with shared amenities. Cohousing developments are often coupled with community
based stewardship where residents share responsibility for maintenance of community space.
Mixed-income cohousing development has been constructed in Denver as part of the Aria Denver
community and could potentially be developed in other areas throughout the city.
To help spur condominium development more broadly, Denver adopted a local ordinance in 2015
that 1) limits using a violation of the Denver building code as the basis for a construction defects
claim, 2) requires most homeowners association (HOA) members to consent before an HOA can file
a construction defects claim, and 3) promotes arbitration, not court, as the forum for a construction
defects claim. Since condominiums can provide a path to more moderately priced attached housing,
this ordinance unlocked the potential for development of more attainable options for moderate-
income residents in Denver.
To further promote condominium development, the City and its partners are taking steps to pilot the
development of mixed-income condos at the 29th and Welton, a transit-oriented development site at
in the Five Points neighborhood, in partnership with the Regional Transportation District (RTD). The
development will include at least 25% of the units as affordable and is intended to inspire creative
ways to finance affordable homeownership options in partnership with the development community.
Using the 29th and Welton project as a model, partnerships that support mixed-income condominium
development can promote affordable housing options in high opportunity areas.
Key Actions:
Explore creative tools to promote mixed-income homeownership development, including
models such as cohousing development that are supported through strong community
stewardship.
Implement and evaluate success of the mixed-income condo pilot at 29th and Welton and
explore how the approach can be expanded to other areas of the city, especially near transit.
Preserve affordability of existing income-restricted

homeownership stock. GOAL: Preserve Affordability
Nearly 2,000 for-sale homes in Denver are affordable due to an

existing covenant that ensures the property is occupied and resold
to an income qualified buyer over a specific period, usually between
15-30 years. Many of the homes were built under the Citys Inclusionary Housing Ordinance or large-
scale development agreements, and while the ordinance was replaced with a more broadly
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applicable housing linkage fee, homes under the old program continue to operate under existing
covenants.
Most of the homes that were built under the IHO or similar development agreements have a shared
equity model where proceeds from the sale of the property are shared between the City and the
homeowner for a set period after the covenant expires. Typically, the covenants also include a right-
of-first refusal for the City or a designee to acquire the property to sell to another income-restricted
buyer. With limited affordable homeownership options available on the open market for low and
moderate-income families, the City and its partners should focus on keeping these homes available
as part of the existing income-restricted for-sale housing stock and promote long-term affordability.
Additionally, since most homes built under the IHO or similar agreements are in mixed-income
developments due to the structure of the original ordinance, many of these homes are in high
opportunity areas.
For example, nearly 500 affordable homes have been constructed as part of the Stapleton
development agreement, an area that now includes some of the citys most expensive housing stock
and highest quality schools. Covenants on affordable units built at Stapleton will begin to expire in
2018 and 2019, approximately 15 years after the first units were built in this neighborhood. The City
and its nonprofit and foundation partners are already taking steps to explore long-term preservation
of these homes to ensure future income-qualified homeowners can purchase homes in these high
opportunity areas.
In addition to partnerships aimed at preserving existing income-restricted housing, the City is also
focused on continuing education for existing owners of affordable homes. As part of an effort to
ensure compliance with the requirements of the Citys existing covenants, the City should conduct
regular outreach to existing owners about the requirements of their covenant, including 1) that
owners occupy the unit as their primary residence, 2) that units are resold to an income-qualified
buyer at an affordable price during the covenant period, and 3) how owners can access ongoing
financial literacy and credit counseling even after purchasing an affordable unit.
Key Actions:
Explore partnerships across key nonprofit and foundation partners to preserve existing
affordable homes in high-opportunity areas, such as Stapleton, to resell to qualified buyers.
Continue to educate existing homeowners about requirements of the Citys affordable
homeownership covenant as part of an ongoing compliance program.
Preserve affordability of existing unsubsidized

affordable for-sale housing. GOALS: Preserve
Preservation of existing affordable homeownership opportunities Residents
for Denver residents is an important strategy to mitigate the
displacement of residents due to rising home values. Between
rental and conventional homeownership, shared equity ownership
models ensure that homes remain affordable to low and moderate-
income households long-term. Models that promote long-term affordability and shared equity include
land trusts, which enable eligible households to purchase an affordable home and lease the land
underneath it. Land trust models and other similar models such as a land lease are discussed in
Section 5.
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In addition to exploration of a citywide land trust and land lease policies as outlined in Section 5, the
City and its partners could explore other models for preservation such as through shared
appreciation loans. Shared appreciation loans are second mortgages that require no payment by an
owner until a property is sold. At the time of the sale, a family is required to repay the original
principal plus a share of the home price appreciation in lieu of interest. Typically, homes purchased
under a shared appreciation loan and then resold to an income qualified homeowner to continue the
long-term affordability.
Key Actions:
Explore creative tools for acquisition of existing affordable homes, including models such as a
shared appreciation loan that could help a moderate-income homebuyer purchase a home with
a second mortgage payable at the time of sale to another income-qualified buyer.
Promote programs that help households access for-

sale housing. GOALS: Promote Access to
Housing
While development and preservation of affordable homeownership
units can help ensure that housing options are available for
moderate-income residents long term, the City and its partners
should also focus on support programs that help residents prepare
to become homeowners. The City and its partners provide homebuyer counseling courses that
integrate financial coaching with down payment assistance and education about overseeing home
repairs.
The City and its partners could continue to support downpayment assistance programs such as the
Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus Program. Through this program, the City works with lenders
throughout the Denver metro area to offer qualifying first-time homebuyers with a grant to help with
up to 4% of the purchase price of a home. Since 2013, this Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus Program
has supported the home purchases of 1,277 households with $10.8 million in assistance. The City
also supports downpayment assistance programs directly through nonprofit partners.
The City also took steps to extend the 2017 Mortgage Credit Certificate Program that allows
qualifying borrowers to receive an annual federal income tax credit equal to 25% of the annual
interest they pay on their mortgage loan up to a maximum $2,000 per year. The program, which can
save a low or moderate-income family thousands over the life of a mortgage, extends through the
end of 2019. As part of a strategy to promote programs that help residents access for-sale housing
throughout Denver, the City and its partners should continue to support the Mortgage Credit
Certificate program beyond the current program sunset.
In addition to supporting the citys existing programs for prospective homebuyers, the City and its
partners should explore other creative tools to support homeownership. For example, the proposed
LIVE Denver pilot is designed to support residents living in affordable rental housing by setting aside
a portion of rent paid each month to contribute to an escrow account that can be accessed when the
resident moves out of the affordable rental property. While this escrow account is not proposed to be
limited to use for a future downpayment, this tool could be an effective method to help low and
moderate-income residents to save for a down payment. The City and its partners should implement
and evaluate the success of this pilot escrow model and explore how the approach can be expanded
to other homeownership programs.
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Likewise, the City and its partners should explore other creative ways to help moderate-income
residents achieve homeownership, including evaluating opportunities for lease-to-own programs or
low-interest city loans that might allow a family to refinance their current mortgage and stay in a
home they already own.
Key Actions:
Continue to support existing down payment and homebuyer assistance programs such as the
Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus programs that provides grants for low and moderate-income
residents to purchase homes on the open market.
Support an extension of the Metro Mortgage Credit Certificate to help low and moderate-
income homeowners receive a federal income tax credit on their mortgage interest beyond
the programs current expiration in 2019.
Implement and evaluate success of a pilot escrow model as part of the LIVE Denver program
where residents pay a portion of rent each month into a saving account that can be used for
a down payment, and explore how the approach could be expanded to other housing
programs.
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Section 9. Implementation
A central theme of Housing an Inclusive Denver is the need for the City to integrate its housing work
across sectors, City departments, and with external partners. Implementing Housing an Inclusive
Denver depends on the ability to maximize the impact of the Citys housing investments by aligning
and connecting them to other public investments in jobs, health, education, capital infrastructure
and transportation. This plan lays the foundation for targeting the Citys resources to address
specific neighborhood conditions and challenges faced by Denver residents. The neighborhood
opportunity typology developed to support this plan and target strategies to address specific
neighborhood conditions can serve as a platform to build the necessary connections to opportunity
for Denver residents.
Prioritization Along the Housing Continuum

Feedback received during the development of Housing an Inclusive Denver from members of the
public, housing stakeholders and the citys Housing Advisory Committee focused on finding a
balance of investment along the housing continuum. This feedback is a recognition that each
segment of the housing continuum is connected. In addition, investments along the housing
continuum are connected because resources are limited. Allocating more resources towards one
part of the spectrum therefore diminishes resources available for the rest of the continuum. Further,
the costs of development, preservation and programs vary along the continuum for example, to
develop a permanent supportive housing unit with wraparound services may cost more than the
preservation of a moderate-income rental unit. Maximizing the impact of limited resources across
the housing continuum requires an ongoing assessment of need, estimation of costs, and evaluation
of available resources. For this reason, the target resource allocations in this plan are given as
ranges that recognize the interplay of multiple factors that must be continually balanced to optimize
results.
While investment along the housing

2017 Area Median Income Limits
continuum can help ensure there
are options for each population, AMI Level 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person
feedback received from the public, 30% AMI $17,650 $20,150 $22,650 $25,150
housing stakeholders and members 50% AMI $29,400 $33,600 $37,800 $41,950
of the Housing Advisory Committee 60% AMI $35,280 $40,320 $45,360 $50,340
indicated a need to target housing 80% AMI $47,000 $53,700 $60,400 $67,100
resources toward the most 100% AMI $58,800 $67,200 $75,600 $83,900
vulnerable residents in Denver
experiencing homelessness and those earning below 30% AMI. Based on feedback received as part
of the Housing an Inclusive Denver planning process, the following targets will be used to guide
housing investments aligned with the values, goals and strategies included in this plan:
40 50% of housing resources will be invested to serve people earning below 30% of area median
income (AMI) and those experiencing homelessness who are seeking to access or maintain rental
housing, including:
20-25% of housing resources to serve residents experiencing homelessness
20-25% of housing resources to serve residents earning below 30% AMI
20 30% of housing resources will be invested to serve people earning 31% to 80% AMI who are
seeking to access or maintain rental housing
20 30% of housing resources will be invested to serve residents seeking to become homeowners
or remain in homes they already own
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Target Outcomes from Housing Investments

In total, the Citys Office of Economic Development (OED) invests more than $20 million in federal and
local resources into housing development, preservation and programs each year. However, federal
resources have declined in recent years and are subject to annual appropriations from Congress. Find
more detailed information about each federal and local resource available for housing investment in
Section 10: Key Supplemental Information.
As outlined in this plan, Housing an Inclusive Denver includes four key goals:
GOAL: Create affordable housing in vulnerable areas AND in areas of opportunity by

focusing on production that considers specific neighborhood conditions, including areas
vulnerable to displacement and neighborhoods that have strong amenities such as transit,
jobs, high quality education and health care.
TARGET OUTCOMES: If local and federal resources remain consistent with current
levels, the City and its partners will aim to create at least 2,000 new affordable units
by 2023. Of these new units, approximately 90% are expected to serve renters and
10% are expected to serve homeowners.
GOAL: Preserve affordability and housing quality by investing to maintain affordability in

non-subsidized units and preserving or continuing affordability of existing publicly
subsidized affordable housing.
levels, the City and its partners will aim to preserve at least 1,000 existing affordable
units by 2023. Of these new units, approximately 90% are expected to serve renters
and 10% are expected to serve homeowners.
GOAL: Promote equitable and accessible housing options by supporting programs and
policies that help residents across the housing continuum access affordable housing.
levels, the City and its partners will aim to serve at least 20,000 households by 2023
with program resources such as homebuyer counseling, downpayment assistance,
and supportive services.
GOAL: Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement by supporting programs and

policies that help a resident maintain their existing housing or stay in their community.
levels, the City and its partners will aim to serve at least 10,000 households by 2023
through program investments such as tenant landlord counseling, eviction
assistance, and emergency home repair programs.
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Expanding Denvers Existing Toolbox

This plan includes several innovative ideas for housing strategies, with programmatic and financing
or subsidy implications. The City is committed to exploring these strategies in partnership with for-
profit and nonprofit partners, other City departments and public agencies, and other key
stakeholders. This plan introduces several new policies, programs or financing tools to support
strategies and address neighborhood conditions.
Implemental and evaluate success of existing pilot programs:

o Evaluate success of the current tiny home pilot program and explore opportunities to expand
the program throughout other areas of Denver.
o Implement and evaluate success of a proposed incentive overlay for building heights at the 38th
and Blake transit station and explore expanding the program to other areas where increased
density may be appropriate, such as near transit.
o Implement and evaluate success of a proposed LIVE Denver program to buy down affordability of
existing vacant rental units in high-opportunity areas of the city.
o Implement and evaluate success of a pilot escrow model as part of the LIVE Denver Program
where residents pay a portion of rent each month into a saving account that can be used for a
downpayment, and explore how the approach could be expanded to other housing programs.
o Implement and evaluate success of the mixed-income condo pilot at 29th and Welton and
explore how the approach can be expanded to other areas of the city, especially near transit.
Explore new or expanded tools for housing development, preservation and programs:
o Create a package of incentives that provide value for a developer, such as more clearly defined
parking reductions, lower building permit fees, or special staff support to navigate the complex
multi-agency permitting process, in exchange for a certain percentage of affordable units built
onsite.
o Develop clear guidelines for the circumstances when an affordable housing plan (such as sites
with a General Development Plan, Infrastructure Master Plan, or similar tool) should be created
for a major redevelopment site and provide clear guidance on the process to develop and
execute the plan
o Explore creative uses of tax-increment financing that can support low and moderate-income
residents, including how TIF can be used to support the citys anti-displacement strategies, in
close partnership with the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and Denver Public Schools.
o Explore a rental registry to promote the safety and well-being of all renters, requiring landlords to
register their rental properties and participate in regular inspections for health and safety issues.
o Explore additional local forms of tax relief for low- and moderate-income residents struggling to
keep up with rising property taxes, such as expanding the existing senior and disabled property
tax relief program.
o Explore framework and methodology used to develop and implement preference policies in peer
cities, evaluating whether and how a preference policy based on economic displacement could
be implemented in Denver.
o Explore property tax relief programs that support property owners of multi-unit buildings who may
not qualify for the existing nonprofit exemption to foster mixed-income developments.
o Explore additional tools to expand and enhance the State Low Income Housing Tax Credit to
support rental housing projects in Denver, and other local jurisdictions, in close partnership with
the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Colorado Division of Housing.
o Explore formal partnerships with public and quasi-public agencies to prioritize and set specific
standards for use of publicly owned land for affordable housing.
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o Explore land trusts as a tool to preserve affordability citywide and in vulnerable neighborhoods,
including evaluating factors such as the upfront cost to invest in unit acquisition, ongoing cost of
program administration, length of affordability, and community stewardship.
o Explore other policy tools that promote long-term affordability when land is directly acquired or
used for affordable or mixed-income housing development, such as through a land-lease.
o Develop a bridge finance tool that leverages public and private resources to strategically acquire
affordable rental properties at risk of converting to market rate housing.
o Explore development of a finance tool to strategically acquire small-scale unsubsidized rental
housing, using San Franciscos Small Site Acquisition Program as a model.
o Explore creative tools to promote mixed-income homeownership development, including models
such as cohousing development that are supported through strong community stewardship.
Implementing Proactive Investment Strategies

In addition to the implementation and evaluation of proposed pilot programs and the exploration of
new or expanded housing tools, the City will implement recommendations from Housing an Inclusive
Denver through proactive investment strategies, including:
1) Targeting development solicitations to procure partners to build or preserve affordable

housing consistent with the values, core goals and strategies outlined in this plan. These
targeted development solicitations, for example, could include development on land acquired
directly for affordable housing or partners to serve as a designee to purchase a rental
property under the Citys Preservation Ordinance.
2) Updating the Citys competitive opportunities for housing program and service funding to
align with the values, core goals, and strategies outlined in this plan. These competitive
opportunities, for example, should align with the Citys Consolidated Plan for federal
resources and future solicitations for program proposals through the Citys Notice of Funding
Availability (NOFA) for federal resources.
3) Updating the Citys financial products for housing development and preservation projects to
reflect the goals, strategies and actions outlined in this plan. These updated financial
products, for example, could include specific tools to incentivize development of housing for
the citys most vulnerable populations earning below 30% AMI, such as through performance
based loans or higher per unit subsidies.
4) Updating the Citys application process for housing investments to reflect the goals,
strategies and actions outlined in this plan. These updated application processes, for
example, could include specific location priorities for housing investments in vulnerable
neighborhoods or in high opportunity areas. This plan recognizes that Denvers
neighborhoods differ depending on location, neighborhood conditions, and access to
opportunity.
Investment of local and federal resources for priority strategies outlined in Housing an Inclusive
Denver will be informed by neighborhood data collected in this plan, as well as subsequent efforts to
build on this framework to understand opportunity in Denver.
The City will prioritize strategies to mitigate displacement in vulnerable areas and create housing
opportunities in neighborhoods currently out of reach of low-income households. The Annual Action
Plan will further refine the targeting of strategies and related action by income and geography.
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Section 10. Key Supporting Information

Denvers Future Housing and Demographic Trends
Several long-term demographic trends could shape the citys housing market over the next five years
and beyond: growth in Denvers senior population; smaller household sizes and fewer households
with children; and growth in Hispanic households. These demographic trends may reshape Denvers
for-sale market, create increased competition for smaller units and a greater understanding of the
unique housing needs among Hispanic households.
Growth in Denvers senior population. Like much of the United States, Denver is growing older.
Denvers senior population increased 35% between 2010 and 2017. Between 2017 and 2035,
projections suggest that the number of seniors in Denver will increase by 52% between 2017 and
2035, representing the largest share of Denvers population growth over that time. The citys past
and future growth in seniors age 65 and older will clearly drive the needs and considerations of
developing and siting future housing. These needs and considerations include creating more income-
restricted housing targeted for seniors, incorporating accessibility features in senior housing,
promoting access to health services, and supporting local programming to help seniors successfully
age in place. Less apparent is how this growing population will affect the citys overall housing
supply. Depending on seniors ability and willingness to find senior-friendly housing, seniors may stay
in their current housing situations. If these seniors are over housed (meaning they live in larger units
than may be appropriate), this could result in limited turnover in larger rental units or for-sale
inventory, making it difficult for other households to access these products. Seniors also currently
make up a growing number of the citys population experiencing homelessness with recent
estimates showing nearly a quarter of the homeless in Denver are over age 55. This growth in
homeless seniors places unique stressors on the Citys current system for helping those without
homes.
Smaller household sizes and fewer households with children. Today, most Denvers households do
not have children, and projections suggest these households will increase by 29% between 2017
and 2035. Denvers households are already smaller than the national average household size (2.28
compared with 2.58 respectively) and average household size in Denver is expected to decrease
over time. In terms of Denvers for-sale market, fewer households with children and smaller
households could open more neighborhoods to new homebuyers, as considerations that have
traditionally influenced home buying decisions like school quality and reputation, become less
relevant to these households (at least in the short-term). Along with seniors, these households may
seek smaller units (like one bedrooms), driving additional demand for smaller housing products. This
demand could further constrain the citys existing supply of smaller rental units and drive up these
housing costs. Currently, efficiencies and one-bedroom units command rents 1315% higher than
Fair Market Rent (FMR). Asking rents above FMR suggests that households using rental assistance
like Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers may already be having trouble accessing smaller units, and
additional demand from smaller households could exacerbate this problem.
Growth in Hispanic households. Today, Hispanic households comprise 35% of all Denver households.
It is estimated that 65% of Hispanic households qualify as low-income and make up a smaller share
of new homeowners and home loan recipients than the city average. By 2030, Hispanic households
will comprise 41% of all Denver households, representing the citys largest growth in households
between 2017 and 2030. This growth suggests a need to consider housing needs among this
population in greater detail. Its important to note to these households are not a homogeneous group
and additional outreach and information-gathering may be necessary to understand the core housing
needs for a range of lifestyles, ages, and income levels among Hispanics living in Denver. A few ways
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that these households could define Denvers housing market in the next several years is acting as
new homebuyers, creating more demand for multigenerational housing products, and highlighting a
need for more culturally competent housing-related programming and service delivery.
Investment in Public Infrastructure. Over the next three years, Denver will experience a wave of
public investments valued at more than $4 billion. The projects include expansion of the citys
Convention Center, the National Western Center Complex, Central I-70, the Great Hall of the Denver
International Airport, and the projects in the proposed General Obligation Bond. The projects will
create jobs, important infrastructure buildouts and community amenities. The investments may also
put pressure on the citys housing market, as the need for additional skilled workforce for these
projects could attract more residents to Denver.
Relationship to Other Local Planning Efforts

Housing an Inclusive Denver builds on and relates to several past and current planning efforts in the
City of Denver. The goals and proposed strategies within Housing an Inclusive Denver aim to connect
with the Citys update to its land-use and mobility strategies (through Denveright), priorities related to
its federal resources for housing and community development (through the 20182022
Consolidated Plan and Assessment of Fair Housing), and connections to jobs and health through the
Mayors Office of Housing and Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE). Each plan and their
relationship to Housing an Inclusive Denver is summarized in more detail below.
Denveright. Through its extensive community-driven planning process, Denveright will chart a course
for Denvers future through 2040. This effort integrates four plans: 1) Blueprint Denver, the Citys
existing land-use and transportation plan, which serves as the foundation for the Denveright process;
2) Game Plan, the citywide Parks and Recreation Plan, which provides quality open space and
improved existing networks for people to walk, bike, relax and play; 3) Denver Moves: Transit, which
creates a local transit vision to understand and improve the existing transit system; and 4) Denver
Moves: Pedestrian and Trails, which helps make walking and using off-street trails a viable option for
people to get around Denver.
Many of the proposed strategies within Housing an Inclusive Denver relate to the four focus areas
within Denveright. The strategies adopted in this plan reinforce and help implement a key vision
element from Denveright creating Equitable, Affordable and Inclusive communities. Denveright
aims to achieve this vision element by supporting community values such as diverse, friendly and
open communities, promoting access to opportunity, and by fostering affordable housing and
transportation choices. Through its focus on access to opportunity and promotion of affordable and
mixed-income housing options, this plan supports the broader vision element of Denveright and
provides the basis to achieve its community values through specific regulatory and investment
strategies.
2018-2022 Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan supports Denvers assessment of its
affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions and creates a
communitywide conversation to identify and align housing and community development priorities
and allocate federal resources. Analysis and recommendations from Housing an Inclusive Denver
will directly inform the Citys affordable housing and community development needs and market
conditions within the Consolidated Plan. Additionally, Housing an Inclusive Denver makes
recommendations for the allocation of the Citys federal and local resources.
Housing Denver. Housing an Inclusive Denver incorporates some of the foundational ideas outlined
in Housing Denver, including the need for diverse and flexible funding tools, strategies that address
the housing continuum, and a focus on production and preservation of affordable housing.
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Gentrification Study: Mitigating Involuntary Displacement. In May 2016, the City released the
Gentrification Study: Mitigating Involuntary Displacement, to serve as a tool to guide future housing
and economic development investments in Denver. The study aimed to identify the factors that
cause residential displacement, identify neighborhoods where displacement is occurring, or could
happen, and inform how the City and its partners promote equitable and inclusive neighborhoods.
Housing an Inclusive Denver utilizes the information from this study to help identify neighborhood
types and inform strategies, priorities, and key actions to mitigate involuntary displacement.
Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). In July 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) released a new rule on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, or AFFH, that will
guide municipalities work to ensure that housing investments are aligned with fair housing
principles. This fair housing rule embraces a balanced approach between place-based capital
investments in low-income communities and strategies promoting mobility that allow low-income
households to gain access to safe neighborhoods and high-performing schools. Under this rule,
recipients of HUD resources are required to submit an Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), a
community-based plan that sets goals and priorities that addresses contributing factors to
segregation and other fair housing issues to better address historical disinvestment and support
racial equity. The City of Denver will participate in a regional AFH in 2018. Housing an Inclusive
Denver describes and defines racially or ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, areas of low-
income concentration, and areas of minority concentration in ways that set the stage for the
regions AFH and aligns its strategies with broad fair housing goals.
Detailed List of Denvers Housing Resources

The Office of Economic Development (OED) invests federal and local resources into affordable
housing development, preservation and programs that serve residents experiencing homelessness,
extremely low-income residents living on a fixed income such as seniors or residents with a disability,
working families, and residents interested in becoming homeowners.
Federal housing funds are allocated to the City and County of Denver through the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Federal funds have declined in recent years, but include:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) CDBG funds support small businesses,
neighborhood revitalization, homeowner and rental repair, counseling and social service
operations. The City typically receives between $6 and $8 million annually through the CDBG
program, but these resources are invested across a variety of housing, neighborhood and
business development programs. OED typically invests approximately $2 million annually in
housing through the CDBG program.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) HOME funds support a variety of affordable
housing activities including new construction and preservation of rental and for-sale housing,
and tenant based rental assistance. The City typically receives approximately $2.5 million
annually through the HOME program.
Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA) HOPWA funds are available to assist
in the provision of affordable housing for persons with HIV/AIDS. The City typically receives
approximately $1.7 million annually for the HOPWA program.
Local housing funds are appropriated to OED through the Citys annual budget process:
In September 2016, Mayor Hancock and City Council partnered to create Denvers first dedicated
local fund for affordable housing. The dedicated fund will generate an estimated $150 million over 10
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years to serve low and moderate-income families. Revenue for the dedicated fund will come from a
portion of a property tax already approved by Denver voters in 2012 and a new, one-time housing
linkage fee on commercial and residential development.
The property tax component of the fund is stable and predictable, generating an estimated $7
million in 2018. This revenue will grow slowly and steadily over time.
Revenue from the housing linkage fee will vary based on economic trends, bringing in more
revenue during an economic upcycle and less revenue during an economic downturn. On
average, the linkage fee is expected to generate $7-8 million annually.
Program income is also collected from historic investments where a private, quasi-public or nonprofit
partner received an investment from OED and is paying that loan back over time. While program
income is dependent on the number and type of investments made in each year, OED typically
receives between $550,000 - $750,000 in program income from historic investments, primarily from
federal funds.
Detailed List of Denvers Affordability Resources

While housing is a core component of the Citys investments in promoting inclusive communities,
addressing affordability takes more than just developing and preserving housing it takes increasing
access to higher paying wages, connecting residents to health and financial wellness and promoting
equitable access to mobility opportunities. Combined, these investments across multiple agencies
help work to maintain or expand affordability throughout Denver neighborhoods.
Several City agencies support programs that complement OEDs investments into housing
development, preservation and programs. These agencies invest resources into expanding housing
options or reducing housing costs, including:
Department of Human Services invests federal resources such as Emergency Solutions Grants
(ESG) and other local resources in direct rental assistance, rapid re-housing vouchers and shelter
diversion strategies for residents experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the Department of
Human Services oversees the Citys Senior and Disabled Property Tax Rebate program where low-
income homeowners and renters can access an annual rebate to offset a portion of their property
taxes.
Department of Finance oversees use of Social Impact Bonds (SIB) to provide critical supportive
services that primarily serve chronically homeless individuals in Denver. Additionally, the
Department of Finance manages the Citys Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus program, which
provides down payment assistance grants for qualified prospective homebuyers, and the Metro
Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, which provides tax credits for a portion of the annual interest
paid on a qualified homeowners mortgage loan.
Department of Human Rights and Community Partnerships invests in a home weatherization

program to help homeowners make upgrades to their home aimed at promoting energy efficiency.
Department of Environmental Health invests in a program to help owners of residential properties

that do not currently meet public health codes to bring their buildings into compliance with health
and safety standards.
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Department of Public Works invests in expanding the citys transit infrastructure in partnership
with the Regional Transit District and the Colorado Department of Transportation through fixed-rail
and high frequency bus networks, as well as first and last mile connections that support
pedestrian and bike infrastructure throughout the city. In 2017, Denver released a Mobility
Action Plan aimed at enhancing the citys multi-modal connections with a focus on creating
equity in the citys transportation network.
Neighborhood Characteristics
As part of this plan, the City and its partners developed five neighborhoods types informed by
Enterprises Opportunity360 platform to align place-based strategies and assets related to housing,
health, economic mobility, transportation, and education throughout Denver. These neighborhood
types were developed to set a foundation and ensure that housing production and preservation
strategies address the unique characteristics and housing opportunities within specific
neighborhoods.
The neighborhood types developed as part of this planning process set a foundation for how the City
and its partners will begin to consider opportunity as part of housing investment decisions, but
additional steps are needed to continue to analyze Denver neighborhoods according to their unique
characteristics.
Engage Public, Private and Nonprofit Partners to Define, Measure and Invest in Opportunity-Rich
Neighborhoods in Denver.
As part of the implementation of this plan and Denvers upcoming Assessment of Fair Housing, the
City and its partners should continue to conduct outreach with community members and housing
stakeholders to refine how opportunity is defined for Denver residents and leaders.
Expand and Refine Existing Neighborhood Analysis with Additional Local Data.
In addition to the data collected as part of Housing an Inclusive Denver, the City and its partners
should build upon the existing neighborhood characteristics to understand the location of physical
assets within the neighborhood. These physical assets could include the location of high-performing
schools, major hospitals and community health care facilities, and location of grocery stores.
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Map 2.6 | Type 1 Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Type 1 offer the widest variety of culture and diversity in the Mile High City.
Working families and individuals enjoy affordable, but older housing stock. However, both rents and
home values have experienced sharp increases since 2015 and many residents within Type 1 are
vulnerable to displacement. Opportunity can be more difficult to obtain in these neighborhoods with
nine of Denvers ten R/ECAP areas fall within this type.
To increase opportunity, strategies to preserve cultural diversity and affordability while increasing
access to health, education and jobs will be deployed. For example:
Preserving affordability of existing income-restricted properties
Promoting programs that help families stay in their existing unsubsidized rental housing
Promoting programs that help families maintain their existing homes
Promoting development of new mixed-income housing stock
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Walk, bike or ride your way through Type 2 neighborhoods. These communities are generally closer
to jobs and transit centers and about 1/3 of the City's unsubsidized affordable properties are located
here. Residents in type 2 neighborhoods are highly engaged in the labor market, but median income
is lower than in other areas of the City. Rent is lower but home purchase prices are higher than the
citywide average in type 2.
For Type 2, strategies support maintaining affordable rents while encouraging more affordable for
purchase homes:
Preserving existing affordable housing near transit (prioritizing existing income-restricted
properties)
Preserving affordability of existing unsubsidized affordable housing
Promoting development of new affordable, mixed-income and mixed-use housing stock
Promoting programs that help households in these neighborhoods access affordable for-sale
housing throughout Denver
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In Type 3 neighborhoods, residents enjoy hip neighborhood restaurants and chic boutiques, new
homes and classic Denver designs. Both rental and ownership housing tend to cost more than other
areas of the city and residents generally exhibit better employment, health, and educational
outcomes. Very few of these neighborhoods are considered vulnerable to displacement and a
majority of publicly owned land that could be used for housing is within this type.
In Type 3, creation is key when it comes to affordable housing strategy:

Leveraging publicly owned land for affordable housing development
Promoting development of new affordable, mixed-income and mixed-use housing stock
Promoting programs that help households access for-sale housing and affordable rental
housing
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In Type 4 neighborhoods, unemployment is low and housing is more affordable. Relative to other
types, these neighborhoods have the largest share of residents who are 65 years or older. The
housing stock, particularly rental properties, tends to command lower prices and 1/3 of the City's
unsubsidized affordable properties are located within this type.
Strategies for Type 4 should focus on promoting overall quality and preserving affordability of
existing housing and strengthening connections to health and employment opportunities:
Preserving affordability of existing unsubsidized affordable housing
Promoting programs that help households access affordable rental and for-sale housing
Promoting programs that help families maintain their existing homes
Preserving affordability of existing affordable rental housing near jobs/transit
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In Type 5, the rental market appears stronger than the homeownership market, commanding the
highest average rent of all neighborhood types. More units are overcrowded than in other areas of
the City and the housing stock is much newer. About half of the neighborhoods in this type have
been identified as vulnerable to displacement, but recent housing market trends show that average
rent is decreasing in several of these areas. The City should consider diversifying housing options in
this type, in terms of stock, cost, and responsiveness to demographic changes.
The following housing investment strategies would be particularly applicable in Type 5

neighborhoods:
Promoting development of new affordable, mixed-income and mixed-use housing
Preserving affordability of existing income-restricted properties
Promoting programs that help families access affordable rental housing
Promoting programs that help families stay in their existing rental housing
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Appendix 1. Supporting Tables

Throughout the appendices, tables are labeled using the following convention: TABLE #.##, where the first number is the
section of the plan that references the table and the second number is the order in which the table falls among all tables
in that section. Figures and maps are labeled using the same convention in subsequent appendices.
TABLE 1.1 | AVERAGE VALUES ON KEY INDICATORS FOR EACH NEIGHBORHOOD

TYPE, COMPARED TO THE CITYWIDE AVERAGE
Note: This tables is a selection of indicators and does not include all data used to calculate the neighborhood typology.
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (2010-2014), HUD Location Affordability Index (2013), CDC
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey (2013), PolicyMap, HUD Labor Market
Engagement Index (2015), Walk Score (2016)
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TABLE 2.1 | AVERAGE RENT BY SUBMARKET (Q4 2011-Q4 2016), DENVER, CO
Efficienc 2 Bed/1 2 Bed/2

1 Bed 3 Bed Other All
y B B
Market Area Totals
Denver-Central/Capitol $1,26 $2,66 $1,70 $1,38
$1,065 $1,583 $2,211
Hill 3 9 1 0
$1,57 $2,97 $2,63 $1,69
Denver-Downtown $1,285 $1,734 $2,092
4 8 6 9
Denver-East $1,25 $1,91 $1,68 $1,41
$1,029 $1,338 $1,700
Central/Lowry 7 3 1 7
$1,10 $1,64 $1,38 $1,21
Denver-Far SE $996 $1,176 $1,502
1 6 5 3
Denver-N Central/City $1,42 $2,26 - $1,62
$894 $1,461 $2,208
Park 5 5 7
$1,49 $1,93 $1,19
Denver-Northeast $1,012 $999 $1,030 $1,592
1 3 9
$1,35 $1,48 $1,47
Denver-Northwest $1,371 $1,378 $2,026 $580
6 3 3
Denver-S Central/Wash $1,28 $1,61 $1,33
$1,080 $1,162 $1,911 $756
Park 4 6 1
$1,06 $1,26 $1,12 $1,18
Denver-Southeast $862 $1,132 $1,433
0 3 3 3
$1,17 $1,82 $1,10 $1,33
Denver-Southwest $1,396 $1,514
6 3 0 8
$1,13 $1,78 $2,40 $1,36
Denver-West Central $959 $1,520 $1,089
2 3 5 2
$1,25 $1,80 $1,35 $1,37
Denver County Average $1,140 $1,287 $1,733
0 3 4 6
Denver County Average /
SF $2.21 $1.75 $1.47 $1.55 $1.33 $1.69 $1.69
Source: Denver Metro Apartment Vacancy and Rent Report 4Q 2016
TABLE 2.2 | HOME FOR-SALE MARKET INDICATORS (2012-2016), DENVER, CO

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Detached
Total Sales 8,694 9,748 8,690 8,381 8,593
Average Month's
Inventory 5 3 1 1 1
Average Days on Market 67 42 33 27 30
Average Sales Price (Dec) $335,482 $351,449 $398,366 $435,857 $467,498
Median Sales Price (Dec) $263,800 $268,000 $314,738 $350,000 $378,000
Attached
Total Sales 3,218 4,004 5,417 5,880 5,771
Average Month's
Inventory 8 4 2 1 2
Average Days on Market 91 58 44 45 51
Average Sales Price (Dec) $234,938 $265,562 $314,105 $365,467 $378,193
Median Sales Price (Dec) $153,250 $177,000 $238,500 $261,000 $300,940
Source: 2016 Denver Multiple Listing Service (MLS) System
Page | 71
TABLE 3.1 | HOMELESSNESS INTERVENTIONS VERSUS PROJECTED NEED
PSH OPH Diversion Totals

Individual
549 2,381 684 3,614
Households
Family
444 272 107 823
Households
Totals 658 2,921 858 4,437
Source: Corporation for Supportive Housing
TABLE 6.1 | SHARE OF RENTERS AND OWNERS BY NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4 Type 5 Citywide

Percent
owners 46% 31% 66% 41% 67% 49%
Percent
renters 54% 69% 34% 59% 33% 51%
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates (2011-2015)
Page | 72
Appendix 2. Supporting Figures

FIGURE 1.1 | RESPONSES TO IS YOUR CURRENT HOUSING SITUATION
AFFORDABLE? (N = 955)
Source: Housing an Inclusive Denver online public survey
FIGURE 1.2 | RESPONSES TO WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS THAT ARE CAUSING
YOUR HOUSING SITUATION TO BE UNAFFORDABLE? (N = 340)
Page | 73
FIGURE 1.3 | RESPONSES TO HOW IMPORTANT WOULD IT BE TO LIVE IN A

NEIGHBORHOOD WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS AT DIFFERENT INCOME
LEVELS? (N = 949)

NEIGHBORHOOD WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS OF DIFFERENT RACES AND
ETHNICITIES? (N = 954)
Page | 74

NEIGHBORHOOD WITH PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT AGES AND LIFESTYLES? (N = 954)

FIGURE 1.6 | RESPONSES TO HOW SHOULD THE CITY BALANCE PRESERVING
AFFORDABILITY OF EXISTING HOUSING WITH BUILDING NEW AFFORDABLE
HOUSING? (N = 899)

FIGURE 1.7 | RESPONSES TO HOW SHOULD THE CITY BALANCE INVESTMENTS TO
MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY IN VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH INVESTMENTS
Page | 75
TO EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIMITED OPTIONS

FOR LOW AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES? (N = 889)
Page | 76
FIGURE 1.8 | RESPONSES TO I AM MOST CONCERNED THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY
OF DENVER DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR (N = 982)
FIGURE 1.9 | TOP RANKED RESPONSES FOR HOW SHOULD THE CITY BALANCE
INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING FOR A VARIETY OF INCOME LEVELS? (N = 923)
Page | 77
FIGURE 1.10 | RESPONSES FOR WHAT FACTORS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU
WHEN CHOOSING YOUR HOME?
FIGURE 2.1 | NUMBER OF COST-BURDENED HOUSEHOLDS (2015), DENVER, CO
Page | 78
FIGURE 2.2 | AVERAGE RENT, DENVER, CO (Q4 2011-Q4 2016)
Source: Denver Metro Apartment Vacancy and Rent Report 4Q 2016
FIGURE 2.3 | TOTAL AFFORDABLE & AVAILABLE RENTAL UNITS BY INCOME LEVEL
(2015), DENVER, CO
Page | 79
FIGURE 2.4 | AVERAGE HOME SALE PRICE, DENVER, CO (2012-2016)
Source: Metro Denver Board of Realtors, 2012-2016.
Page | 80
Appendix 3. Supporting Maps

MAP 1.1 | DENVER NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITY TYPOLOGY
Source: See Appendix 5 for all data sources included in the neighborhood opportunity typology
Page | 81
MAP 2.1 | HIGHEST AND LOWEST CHANGE IN ASSESSED VALUE (2015 TO 2017)
RELATIVE TO NEIGHBORHOOD TYPES
Note: Tracts exhibiting the highest change in assessed value experienced an increase of more than 51 percent, while
Tracts exhibiting the highest change in assessed value experienced an increase of 9 percent or less.
Source: City and County of Denver Assessors Office
Page | 82
MAP 2.2 | RECENT CHANGE IN RENT BY SUBMARKET (Q1 2015 TO Q4 2016)

NORTHWEST NORTHEAST
CITY PARK
0.2% -6.4%
13.8%
$1,529.98 $1,020.46
DOWNTOWN $1,583.95
4.8%
$1,632.99 CAP HILL LOWRY
WEST CENTRAL 15.9% 21.2%
59.5% $1,281.04 $1,390.46
$1,186.48
WASH PARK
SOUTHWEST -0.1% SOUTHEAST
13.0% $1,138.65 26.2%
$1,296.63 $1,176.52
FAR SOUTHEAST
10.3%
$1,150.22
Source: Denver Metro Rent and Vacancy Report from Q1 2015 and Q4 2016
Page | 83
MAP 2.3 | RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY AREAS

Source: HUD AFFH Data and Mapping Tool
Page | 84
MAP 2.4 | UNSUBSIDIZED PROPERTIES WITH AVERAGE RENTS AT OR BELOW FAIR

MARKET RENT RELATIVE TO NEIGHBORHOOD TYPES
Source: Apartment Insights
Page | 85
MAP 2.5 | AREAS VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT RELATIVE TO NEIGHBORHOOD

TYPES
Source: City and County of Denver, Office of Economic Development
Page | 86
MAP 2.6 | NEIGHBORHOOD TYPE 1
Page | 87
Page | 88
Page | 89
Page | 90
Page | 91
Appendix 4. Homeless Services Map
Source: Corporation for Supportive Housing
Page | 92
Appendix 5. Neighborhood Opportunity Typology Methods &

Data Sources
In performing this analysis, we operated under the following definition of opportunity: a situation that
places residents able to reach their highest potential. In this situation, residents can lead healthy
lives, be secure in their homes, and are connected to good jobs, quality education and community
services. From this definition, we identified five key opportunity outcomes: housing quality and
security, education, health & wellness, economic mobility & security, and transit & connections.
We constructed a typology of Denver Census Tracts by performing a cluster analysis on 48 Tract-level
variables that reflect those five opportunity outcomes. These data were collected from various
federal sources such as the U.S. Census American Community Survey and the Environmental
Protection Agencys Smart Location Database in addition to some proprietary data from national
vendors, including Walkscore and Location Inc. A full list of the data included in this analysis and
their sources are provided below.
From these data, the cluster analysis identified neighborhoods that share similar values along the
various opportunity outcomes. Similar neighborhoods are then categorized into the same group
representing a single neighborhood type. In Denver, we identified five distinct neighborhood types.
These types are not ordinalthere is no inherent hierarchy of one neighborhood type over another
but rather reflect different conditions of opportunity throughout the city.
OPPORTUNITY TYPOLOGY DATA SOURCES
Data
Variable Source Indicator Definition Year
Percent of Residents who Percent of the Population that is 2010-
are Non-White Census ACS 5-Year Non-White and/or Hispanic/Latino 2014
Percent of Population that Percent of the Population That is 2010-
is 65 years or Greater Census ACS 5-Year age 65 or older. 2014
Probability that two Individuals
Chosen at Random Would Be of 2010-
Racial Diversity Index Census ACS 5-Year Different Races or Ethnicities 2014
Percent of the Population
that has One or More Percent of the Population that has 2010-
Disabilities Census ACS 5-Year One or More Disabilities 2014
Percent of the Population Percent of the population (age 5
that is Non-English and older) speaking English less 2010-
Speaking Census ACS 5-Year than "very well" 2014
Percent of Civilians Age 18 Percent of Civilians Age 18 Who Are 2010-
Who Are Veterans Census ACS 5-Year Veterans 2014
Poverty rate among individuals for 2010-
Poverty Rate Census ACS 5-Year whom poverty status is determined 2014
The unemployment rate represents
the number of unemployed people
age 16 and older as a percent of 2010-
Unemployment Rate Census ACS 5-Year people in the civilian labor force. 2014
Index of crime risk based on rank
percent of total crime rate per
1,000 residents, where 50 = safer
than 50% of locations in U.S. and 0
Total Crime Index Location Inc. is safest 2016
Index of crime risk based on rank
percent of violent crime rate per
Violent Crime Index Location Inc. 1,000 residents, where 50 = safer 2016
Page | 93
Data
than 50% of locations in U.S. and 0
is safest
This index provides an indication of

the relative intensity of labor
market engagement and human
capital in a neighborhood. It is
based upon the level of
employment, labor force
participation and educational
attainment in a census tract.
Values are percentile ranked
nationally and range from 0 to 100,
with higher scores representing
U.S. Department of greater labor force participation
HUD Labor Market Housing and Urban and human capital in a
Engagement Index Development neighborhood. 2015
Common Core of
Data, National
Center for Percent of Students That were Free
Percent Free and Reduced Educational and Reduced Lunch Recipients in 2012-
Lunch Recipients Statistics (NCES) the 2012-2013 school year 2013
Percent of population 25 years and
older with a Bachelor's degree or
Percent of Residents with a higher level of educational 2010-
Bachelors Degree or Higher Census ACS 5-Year attainment 2014
Percent of Residents with a older with a High School Diploma or
High School Diploma or higher level of educational 2010-
Higher Census ACS 5-Year attainment 2014
Standardized test score rank
School Quality Score Location Inc. percentile in the nation. 100 is best 2016
Percent of Residents with older with less than a High School
less than a High School Diploma level of educational 2010-
Diploma Census ACS 5-Year attainment 2014
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Surveillance
Percent of Adults Reporting System survey & Estimated percent of adults
to Have Asthma PolicyMap reporting to have asthma in 2013 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor Estimated percent of adults ever
Surveillance diagnosed with chronic obstructive
Percent of Adults Reporting System survey & pulmonary disease, emphysema, or
to Have COPD PolicyMap chronic bronchitis in 2013. 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Surveillance
Percent of Population System survey & Estimated percent of adults ever
Reporting to Have Diabetes PolicyMap diagnosed with diabetes in 2013. 2013
Page | 94
Data
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Surveillance Estimated percent of adults
Percent of Adults Reporting System survey & reporting to be obese (a body mass
to be Obese PolicyMap index of 30 or greater) in 2013 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Surveillance Estimated percent of adults
Percent of Adults Rating System survey & reporting fair or poor health in the
their Health as Poor PolicyMap past 30 days 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Percent of Adults Reporting Surveillance Estimated Percent of Adults
a Physical Checkup in the System survey & Reporting a Physical Checkup in
Past Year in this Tract PolicyMap the Past Year in this Tract 2013
CDC Behavioral
Percent of Adults Reporting Risk Factor Estimated Percent of Adults
to Have a Personal Doctor Surveillance Reporting to Have a Personal
or Health Care Provider in System survey & Doctor or Health Care Provider in
this Tract PolicyMap this Tract 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Percent of Adults Reporting Surveillance Estimated Percent of Adults
to Engage in Heavy Drinking System survey & Reporting to Engage in Heavy
(2013), Tract PolicyMap Drinking (2013), Tract 2013
CDC Behavioral
Estimated percent of adults Risk Factor
reporting to eat less than 1 Surveillance Estimated percent of adults
serving of fruit/vegetables System survey & reporting to eat less than 1 serving
per day in 2013 PolicyMap of fruit/vegetables per day in 2013 2013
CDC Behavioral
Risk Factor
Estimated percent of adults Surveillance Estimated percent of adults
reporting to smoke System survey & reporting to smoke cigarettes
cigarettes regularly in 2013 PolicyMap regularly in 2013 2013
This index summarizes potential
exposure to harmful toxins at a
neighborhood level. Values are
inverted and percentile ranked
nationally. The values range from 0
to 100, with the higher index values
suggesting less exposure to toxins
harmful to human health and, thus,
better environmental quality in an
U.S. Department of area. HUD created this index using
HUD Environmental Health Housing and Urban 2005 National Air Toxics
Index Development Assessment data. 2015
2010-
Median Gross Rent Census ACS 5-Year Median Gross Rent 2014
Page | 95
Data
2010-
Median Home Value Census ACS 5-Year Median Home Value 2014
2010-
Median Household Income Census ACS 5-Year Median Household Income 2014
Share of Owner Units that Percent of all homes that are likely
are Affordable at 80% of HUD Location affordable for a 4-person family
Area Median Income Affordability Index earning 80% of AMI in 2013 2013
Percent of two-bedroom renter-
occupied housing units that are
Share of Rental Units that affordable to a 4-person family
are Affordable at 50% of HUD Location earning 50% of Area Median Income
Area Median Income Affordability Index in 2013 2013
Percent of All Low-Income
Households (those earning less
than 80% of AMI) that are Extremely
Percent of All Low-Income Cost Burdened (paying 50% or more
Households that are of their income for housing
Extremely Cost Burdened HUD - CHAS data expenses) 2012
2010-
Median Year Built Census ACS 5-Year 2014
Percent of Housing Units in
Buildings with Three or 2010-
More Units Census ACS 5-Year 2014
Percent of Households with Percent of Households with
Children Decennial Census Children 2010
Percent of Households that Percent of Households that have
have Multiple Families or Enterprise/Census Multiple Families or Unrelated 2010-
Unrelated Individuals ACS 5 Year Individuals 2014
Percent of Households
Residing in Boats, Mobile 2010-
Homes or RV's Census ACS 5-Year 2014
Percent of Renter
Households Receiving
Project Based Housing HUD - Picture of Percent of Renter Households
Choice Vouchers (2015), Subsidized Receiving Housing Choice Vouchers
Tract Households (2015), Tract 2015
Percent of Occupied Units Percent of Occupied Housing Units
that are Crowded or Enterprise/Census that have more than one person per 2010-
Overcrowded ACS 5-Year room living there 2014
Estimated Percent of
Income Spent on Housing Estimated Percent of Income Spent
and Transportation Costs by on Housing and Transportation
a Single Parent Family HUD Location Costs by a Single Parent Family
Household Affordability Index Household 2013
Estimated Percent of
Income Spent on Housing Estimated Percent of Income Spent
and Transportation Costs by on Housing and Transportation
a Working Individual HUD Location Costs by a Working Individual
Household Affordability Index Household 2013
Transit Score Walk Score Transit Accessibility Ranking 2016
Walk Score Index of Location
Walkscore Walk Score Walkability 2016
Page | 96
Data
Average Travel Time to 2010-
Work Census ACS 5-Year Average Travel Time to Work 2014
Percent of Households for
Which no Vehicles are Percent of Households for Which 2010-
Available Census ACS 5-Year no Vehicles are Available 2014
Percent of Workers Who
Commuted to Work Using Percent of Workers Who Commuted 2010-
Public Transit Census ACS 5-Year to Work Using Public Transit 2014
Appendix 6. Demographic forecasting methods

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs Demographic Estimates and Forecasts
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs created forecasts of population and household
characteristics using multiple data sources. The overall set of population projections is produced in a
series of stages which are carried out at the state, then region, and then county levels.
First, a draft state level economic forecast is prepared using a Center for Business and Economic
Forecasting (CBEF) model of labor force demand. The model provides a forecast of employment (by
industrial division at the state level only), employed persons, unemployed persons, persons in the
labor force (demanded by the economy), and personal income. The model also forecasts
approximate levels of net migration and population which are used internally to forecast activities in
the construction and consumer service sectors of the economy.
The model is compared to a second forecast created by using U.S. Census civilian population data,
projected age, and sex-specific labor force needs. The two estimates (one from using CBEF and one
using U.S. Census) are compared and adjustments are made to create the final population forecasts
by age and sex for the state, which are then used along with regional and economic forecasts and
net migration forecasts to create regional and county population forecasts.
DOLA prepares household forecasts in three stages: First, household population was projected as
the residual between the SDOs projections of total population minus projections of group quarters
population. Second, household projections were then derived by applying age-gender specific (Under
24, 25-44, 45-64, 65+) householder proportions to the age-gender specific projections of household
population. Third and finally, children, adults and elderly dependent non-householders were
distributed into the households on the basis of sub-state region specific person per household
rations (<17, 18-64, 65+). These projections are available by county and by age of householder.
i Based on the 2017 Point-In-Time (PIT) count for the County of Denver.
ii Denver Metro Apartment Vacancy and Rent Report 4Q 2016.
iii Denver Metro Apartment Vacancy and Rent Report 4Q 2016.
iv The rental supply gap was calculated using data from the American Community Survey Public Use
Microsample 2015 One-Year Estimate. A unit is considered affordable if a household at given income level
can afford the rent without being cost-burdened (or exceeding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Developments 30% affordability standard). A unit is considered "available" at a given level of income if it is
both affordable at that level and occupied by a renter at that income level or a lower income level or is vacant
Page | 97
These estimates are inclusive of lower income levels and units. This estimate does not account for persons
experiencing homelessness, which would increase the overall need.
v Higher vacancy rates at new units may contribute the Citys increased vacancy rate: Units built in 2010 or
later had a vacancy rate of 15% while units constructed in 1979 or earlier had a vacancy rate of less than 5%.
vi Nine properties offer average rents at or below Fair Market Rents for a studio; 39 properties for a one-
bedroom; and 82 properties for a two-bedroom.

vii These properties were identified using property-level data from Apartment Insights, a real-estate database
that tracks financial and condition characteristics at properties with 50+ units. The analysis identified
unsubsidized properties that offer average rents per unit at or below the following Fair Market Rents: studio:
$844; one-bedroom: $1,031; and two-bedroom: $1,305. Fair Market Rents were based on FY17 Fair Market
Rents via HUD User (www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html).
viii U.S. Census Bureau 2010 and American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2011-2015.
ix Between 2010 and 2017, growth in low-income households outpaced growth in low-income renter
households. Extremely low-income owners increased by 172%; very low-income owners by 80%; and low-
income owners by 47%. However, projections suggest that this trend will not continue over the next five years
with Denver losing low-income owners between 2017 and 2021. Projections based on 2017 estimates from
the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). A full explanation of how DOLA creates these estimates can
be found in Appendix 6.
x American Community Survey Public Use Microsample Data 2015 One-Year Estimate.
xi The median assessed value of residential property as recently as 2011 was largely stagnant, increasing 1%
between 2011 and 2013. Beginning in 2013, assessed values of residential property significantly increased.
The Citys median assessed value increased by 30% between 2013 and 2015 and 26% between 2015 and
2017.
xii Metro Denver Board of Realtors, 2012-2016.
xiii Lincoln Land Institute and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence. (May
2017). 50-State Property Tax Comparison Study. Available at

www.lincolninst.edu/sites/default/files/pubfiles/50-state-property-tax-comparison-for-2016-full.pdf.
xiv A preliminary inventory of publicly owned land suggests that the City-County of Denver controls the most land
among other public entities, namely the Denver Housing Authority, Denver Public Schools, and Regional Transit
District. Most publicly owned property is located within Neighborhood Type 3, with much of this land in these
areas owned by the City-County of Denver. This inventory used property records from the City of Denvers Office
of the Assessor to identify parcels with the following characteristics: 1) owned by either the City-County of
Denver, Denver Housing Authority, Denver Public Schools, or Regional Transit District; 2) zoned for residential
development (excepting land zoned for airport uses); 3) parcel size of at least 2,500 square feet; and 4) vacant
or underused parcels where the land value exceeded the improvement value. This analysis is intended to act
as a preliminary baseline for the City to refine and update over time. A more detailed review by City staff with
local knowledge of recent development and real-world conditions will likely yield omissions, including parcels
that have been redeveloped or located within the right-of-way. City staff plans to further refine this dataset as it
considers the best ways to leverage publicly owned property for affordable housing.
xv Based on the 2017 Point-In-Time (PIT) count for the County of Denver.
xvi United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (August 2011). Closing the Front Door: Creating a
Successful Diversion Program for Homeless Families. Available at www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/closing-the-

front-door
xvii Corporation for Supportive Housing. (2013). Dimensions of Quality: Supportive Housing. Available at
www.csh.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CSH_Dimensions_of_Quality_Supportive_Housing_guidebook.pdf
xviii American Community Survey Public Use Microsample Data 2015 One-Year Estimate.
xix American Community Survey Public Use Microsample Data 2015 One-Year Estimate.
xx American Community Survey Public Use Microsample Data 2015 One-Year Estimate.
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Housing an

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Denvers Future Housing and Demographic Trends ........................................................................... 60

COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR

From Mayor Michael B. Hancock

Denver is beloved for its amazing outdoors, abundant

There is nothing I love more as Mayor than enjoying Denvers

Mayor Michael B. Hancock

From the Housing Advisory Committee Chair

Legislative and Regulatory Priorities

Strategic Use of Land to Support Affordable Housing

conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current inventory of public and quasi-

Facilitate acquisition of land directly and through partners for housing

Housing for Residents Experiencing Homelessness

Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing

Preserve affordability of unsubsidized large-scale affordable rental properties.

Preserve affordability of existing income-restricted homeownership stock. The

A Focus on Serving Residents

Prioritization Along the Housing Continuum

Leverage and enhance housing investments.

Foster communities of opportunity.

Support housing as a DEFINING OPPORTUNITY

on the performance of specific

1) Create affordable housing in vulnerable areas AND in areas of opportunity.

2) Preserve affordability and housing quality.

3) Promote equitable and accessible housing options.

4) Stabilize residents at risk of involuntary displacement.

Denvers Approach to Neighborhoods

Key themes for investment of housing resources:

Section 2. Current Housing and Demographic Conditions

Residents Experiencing Homelessness

Affordable and Workforce Rental Housing

Limited for-sale inventory. The overall

Figure 2.1 | Number of Cost-Burdened Households (2015), Denver, CO

gure 2.1 | Number of cost-burdened households (2015), Denver, CO

Source: 2015 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample

Section 3. Housing and Affordability Investments

Analyze existing housing resources for performance, structure and sustainability.

Explore opportunities to expand existing resources for housing investments.

Coordinate housing investments with the Citys other affordability resources.

Section 4. Legislative and Regulatory Strategies

Strengthen the Citys Preservation Ordinance.

Expand and strengthen land use regulations for

Similarly, other forms

While Denvers zoning code does have some

Develop more consistent guidelines for affordable

use regulations do not provide clear guidance for

Enhance protections and assistance for renters,

The City of Denver already protects all its residents

Stabilize families through tax relief programs.

Explore a framework and methodology for

Enhance the existing State Low Income Housing Tax

Section 5. Strategic Use of Land to Support Affordable

Leverage publicly owned land for affordable housing

Recognizing that housing is an important component of Denvers economic vitality, workforce

affordable housing, including in

Facilitate acquisition of land directly and through

Explore tools to promote long-term affordability of

Section 6. Housing for Residents Experiencing Homelessness

homelessness, this Plan focuses on expanding investments in permanent housing solutions to

Expand investments in housing options for residents

To approach housing across the continuum from homelessness to

Build housing capacity through policy and funding